antithesis
/ænˈtɪθəsəs/an-TIH-thuh-suhs
/ænˈtɪθəsəs/an-TIH-thuh-suhs
Meaninga setting against
Common meaning: the exact opposite
Other meanings: a set contrast
- antiagainst
- thesto set, placeLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 363 · scan
- isGreek noun ending marking an act or process
‘against’ + ‘to set, place’ → antithesis
Journey through time
- Greekτίθημι; θέσις‘to set, place’
- Englishantithesis‘the exact opposite’ · today
anti- also in: antidoteantipathyantipodesantibioticantitechnology
thes also in: thesisepithetsynthesishypothesisphotosynthesis
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek τίθημι; θέσις ‘to set, place’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry τίθημι, p. 363 · dictionary scan
Roots
- τίθημι; θέσις Greek “to set, place”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app