antiphrasis
Plural: antiphrases
Noun
- the use of a word in a sense opposite to its normal sense (especially in irony)
- Use of a word or phrase in a sense opposite of its literal meaning, especially for ironic or humorous effect.
Examples
- When they called him “bad as hell”, they weren’t calling him evil. It was antiphrasis.
Origin / Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin antiphrasis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀντίφρασις (antíphrasis) (< phrazein "declare").
Scrabble Score: 16
antiphrasis: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordantiphrasis: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
antiphrasis: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary
Words With Friends Score: 17
antiphrasis: valid Words With Friends Word