Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Irony
2.
Resembling iron in taste, hardness, or other physical property.
I′ron-y
,Noun.
[L.
ironia
, Gr. [GREEK] dissimulation, fr. [GREEK] a dissembler in speech, fr. [GREEK] to speak; perh. akin to E. word
: cf. F. ironie
.] 1.
Dissimulation; ignorance feigned for the purpose of confounding or provoking an antagonist.
2.
A sort of humor, ridicule, or light sarcasm, which adopts a mode of speech the meaning of which is contrary to the literal sense of the words.
Webster 1828 Edition
Irony
I'RONY
,Adj.
1.
Resembling iron; hard.I'RONY
, [L. ironia; Gr. a dissembler in speech.]A mode of speech expressing a sense contrary to that which the speaker intends to convey; as, Nero was a very virtuous prince; Pope Hildebrand was remarkable for his meekness and humility. when irony is uttered,the dissimulation is generally apparent from the manner of speaking, as by a smile or an arch look, or perhaps by an affected gravity of countenance. Irony in writing may also be detected by the manner of expression.
Definition 2024
irony
irony
English
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈaɪə.rən.i/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈaɪ.rə.ni/, /ˈaɪ.ɚ.ni/
Noun
irony (countable and uncountable, plural ironies)
- 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.
- 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.
- Ignorance feigned for the purpose of confounding or provoking an antagonist; Socratic irony.
- The state of two usually unrelated entities, parties, actions, etc. being related through a common connection in an uncommon way.
- (informal, sometimes proscribed)[1][2] Contradiction between circumstances and expectations; condition contrary to what might be expected. [from the 1640s]
Usage notes
- Some authorities omit the last sense, "contradiction of circumstances and expectations, condition contrary to what might be expected";[2] however, it has been in common use since the 1600s.[3]
Derived terms
terms derived from irony
Related terms
Translations
statement that may mean the opposite of what is written literally
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condition contrary to expectations
References
- ↑ Harris, Bob (2008-06-30), “Isn’t It Ironic? Probably Not”, in The New York Times, retrieved 2011-01-06
- 1 2 ironic, TheFreeDictionary.com, accessed 4 November 2011: The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes used of events and circumstances that might better be described as simply "coincidental" or "improbable," in that they suggest no particular lessons about human vanity or folly. Thus 78 percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use of ironically in the sentence In 1969 Susie moved from Ithaca to California where she met her husband-to-be, who, ironically, also came from upstate New York. Some Panelists noted that this particular usage might be acceptable if Susie had in fact moved to California in order to find a husband, in which case the story could be taken as exemplifying the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us. By contrast, 73 percent accepted the sentence Ironically, even as the government was fulminating against American policy, American jeans and videocassettes were the hottest items in the stalls of the market, where the incongruity can be seen as an example of human inconsistency.
- ↑ irony, Online Etymology Dictionary
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈaɪə.ni/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈaɪ.ɚ.ni/
Adjective
irony (comparative more irony, superlative most irony)