WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
an•tiph•ra•sis
(an tif′rə sis),USA pronunciation n. [Rhet.]
an•ti•phras•tic
(an′ti fras′tik),USA pronunciation an′ti•phras′ti•cal, adj.
an′ti•phras′ti•cal•ly, adv.
- Rhetoricthe use of a word in a sense opposite to its proper meaning.
- Greek, derivative of antiphrázein to speak the opposite (anti- anti- + phrázein to speak); see phrase, sis
- Latin
- 1525–35;