Paradoxical

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌpæɹəˈdɒksɪkəl/

Definitions

1. Containing or involving a statement or situation that seems self-contradictory or absurd yet may be true when examined more closely
2. seemingly contradictory or absurd on the surface, yet potentially valid or true upon deeper examination
3. exhibiting an apparent self-contradiction that challenges logical expectations while remaining logically coherent

Etymology: "Paradoxical" is a straightforward formation: the noun "paradox" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ical" attached. The noun itself came into English from Latin "paradoxum," which in turn came from Greek "paradoxon," literally "contrary to expectation" or "contrary to received opinion," built from "para" (beside, against) and "doxa" (opinion, belief). The Greek root meant an opinion that runs against what people commonly think, which is close to the sense of a surprising truth rather than a plain contradiction. The suffix has a longer history than the word it sits on. "-ical" descends from Latin "-icus," which was often used to form adjectives meaning "pertaining to" or "having the character of," and it came into Middle English as "-ic." The "-al" ending was added later, drawing on Latin "-alis" through Old French. English speakers combined the two into "-ical," so that a word like "paradoxical" is built from pieces that each passed through several languages before meeting in English.

Synonyms: contradictory, inconsistent, incongruous, ironic, ambivalent

Antonyms: consistent, straightforward, clear, logical, expected