Chiasmos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A rhetorical figure where words, phrases, or concepts are repeated in reverse order to create a mirrored structure
2. A stylistic device used in literature and speech that involves the inversion of the order of words or elements for emphasis and artistic effect
3. An arrangement of linguistic elements where the first is mirrored in the second, enriching meaning and enhancing the expressive quality of the text

Etymology: Chiasmus comes from the ancient Greek "khiasmos," meaning "crossing" or "placing crosswise," which in turn comes from "khiazein," to mark with the letter chi (X). The name reflects the shape of the pattern itself: the parts of a phrase are set out in order A-B and then reversed as B-A, so that drawn on paper the connections form an X. Ancient writers used the term for this kind of structure long before English had a word for it. A classic example is "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country," where the verbs and nouns swap places across the sentence. The effect is that the reversal feels balanced and memorable, which is why the device has been used in speeches, proverbs and poetry. The word reached English as a technical term borrowed directly from Greek, used by rhetoricians and literary critics to describe the pattern.

Synonyms: chiasmus, antimetabole, inversion, reversal, crossing