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amphibology

(am′fə bäl′ə jē)

double or doubtful meaning; ambiguity, esp. from uncertain grammatical construction
an ambiguous phrase, proposition, etc.

Origin: ME amphibologie < LL amphibologia (altered after words ending in -logia, -logy) < L amphibolia < Gr, ambiguity < amphiballein: see amphibole

Also amphiboly

Related Forms:

amphibolic adjective or amphibolous

See amphibology in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. am·phi·bol·o·gies

An ambiguous or equivocal statement.

Origin:

Origin: French amphibologie

Origin: , from Late Latin amphibologia

Origin: : Latin amphibo(lia), ambiguity (from Greek amphiboliā, from amphibolos, doubtful; see amphibole)

Origin: + Latin -logia, -logy (added on the model of such words as tautologia, tautology)

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