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Irony

//ˈaɪə.ɹən.i// adj, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to the metal iron.

    "The food had an irony taste to it."

Noun
  1. 1
    The quality of a statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context. countable, rhetoric, uncountable

    "Irony, saying what it ne'er intends, Censures with praise, and speaks to foes as friends."

  2. 2
    A kind of metallic marble. childish, dated

    "And before the season's over millions of "glassies" and "aggies" or "ironies" will change hands, and thousands more will manage to get themselves lost."

  3. 3
    incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs wordnet
  4. 4
    The quality of a statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context.; An ironic statement. countable, rhetoric

    "It is one of the ironies of capital cities that each acts as a symbol of its nation, and yet few are even remotely representative of it. London has always set itself apart from the rest of Britain — but political, economic and social trends are conspiring to drive that wedge deeper."

  5. 5
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    Dramatic irony: a theatrical effect in which the meaning of a situation, or some incongruity in the plot, is understood by the audience, but not by the characters in the play. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs wordnet
  3. 8
    Socratic irony: ignorance feigned for the purpose of confounding or provoking an antagonist. countable, uncountable
  4. 9
    Contradiction between circumstances and expectations; condition contrary to what might be expected. countable, informal, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

First attested in 1502. From Middle French ironie, from Old French, from Latin īrōnīa, from Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία (eirōneía, “irony, pretext”), from εἴρων (eírōn, “one who feigns ignorance”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English hyrony, yreny, yrony, yrunny, equivalent to iron + -y.

Etymology 3

From Middle English hyrony, yreny, yrony, yrunny, equivalent to iron + -y.

See also for "irony"

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