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chiasmus

Syllabification: (chi·as·mus)
Pronunciation: /kīˈazməs/
Definition of chiasmus

noun

  • a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form; e.g. ‘Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.’.

Derivatives

chiastic

Pronunciation: /kīˈastik/
adjective

Origin:

mid 17th century (in the general sense 'crosswise arrangement'): modern Latin, from Greek khiasmos 'crosswise arrangement', from khiazein 'mark with the letter chi', from khi 'chi'

chiasmus in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of chiasmus in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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