The Word of the Day

antithetical \an-tuh-THET-ih-kul\ adjective
1 : constituting or marked by the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences
*2 : being in direct and unequivocal opposition

Example sentence: Your suggestion is completely antithetical to my morals and beliefs.

Did you know? "Antithetical" and "antithesis" entered English in the 16th century. Their etymological paths pass through Late Latin and ultimately lead to Greek (the Greek words "antitithenai" and "antithesis" mean "to oppose" and "opposition," respectively). The oldest sense of the English "antithesis" refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery." "Antithetical" can mean "constituting or marked by such language patterns." For example, you could say "The phrase 'action, not words' is an antithetical construction." It is more common in current use, however, for "antithesis" to mean "the exact opposite" and for "antithetical" to mean "directly opposite."