Irony

Definition

The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect, or a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈaɪrəni/
• Respelling: EYE-ruh-nee (with "EYE" as in "my," "ruh" as in "sofa," and "nee" as in "see")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈaɪrəni/
• Respelling: EYE-ruh-nee (with "EYE" as in "my," "ruh" as in "sofa," and "nee" as in "see")

In both dialects, "irony" places the primary stress on the first syllable, "EYE." The pronunciation is the same across both American and British English, focusing on the clear articulation of "EYE-ruh-nee."

Etymology

From the Latin "ironia", from Ancient Greek "εἰρωνεία" (eirōneía, “dissimulation, feigned ignorance”), from "εἴρων" (eírōn, “one who feigns ignorance”).

Derivatives

• Ironic (adjective)
• Ironically (adverb)
• Ironist (noun)
• Ironize (verb)
• Ironical (adjective, less common form)

Synonyms

• Sarcasm
• Satire
• Paradox

Antonyms

• Literalness
• Straightforwardness
• Candor

Usage

Irony is often used in literature, speech, and everyday communication to express humor, criticism, or a poignant contrast between reality and expectation.

Related Terms

• Oxymoron
• Rhetoric
• Irony of fate
• Dramatic irony
• Situational irony

Detailed Definition

Noun

• Irony (Noun, Verbal): A figure of speech where what is said is the opposite of what is meant.
  • Example: "Saying 'Oh, great!' when something bad happens is an example of verbal irony."

• Irony (Noun, Situational): A situation where there is a significant difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.
  • Example: "It was an irony that the fire station burned down."

• Irony (Noun, Dramatic): A literary device where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters, creating a discrepancy between what the characters understand and what the audience knows.
  • Example: "In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet is only asleep, not dead, but Romeo does not, and the irony heightens the tragedy."

Note: "Irony" often highlights the discrepancies between appearance and reality, or between expectation and actual outcome, in a humorous or poignant way.