Antithesis

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ænˈtɪ.θə.sɪs/

Definitions

1. The direct opposite or contrast of something, representing a sharp contradiction or reversal of ideas
2. A precise and clear opposition to a particular idea or concept
3. Something that stands in stark contrast by displaying opposing qualities

Etymology: Ancient Greek rhetoricians gave "antithesis" a precise job: it meant setting two contrasting ideas side by side in a balanced phrase so that the contrast hit harder. The Greek ἀντίθεσις (antíthesis) was built from "anti," meaning "against" or "opposite," and "thesis," meaning "placing" or "setting down," so the literal sense is something like "a setting against." English borrowed the word from Latin, which had itself taken it from Greek, and it carried that technical sense of deliberate contrast for centuries before it spread into everyday speech. The modern meaning of "direct opposite idea" is a broadening of that rhetorical device. A famous example is the line "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," where the balanced pairing of small and giant is the rhetorical antithesis at work. Over time the word stopped naming only the figure of speech and came to name the opposing idea itself, so that one thing can now be called the antithesis of another.

Synonyms: opposition, contrast, counter, reverse, negation

Antonyms: similarity, agreement, conformity, consensus, harmony