antiphrasis Hear it!

antiphrasis definition

an·tiph·ra·sis (an tifrə sis)

noun

the use of words or phrases in a sense opposite to the usual one, as for ironic effect

Etymology: L < Gr < anti-, against + phrazein, to speak

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.