Word of the Day

: October 13, 2007

paradox

noun PAIR-uh-dahks

What It Means

1 a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true

b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true

2 : one (as a person, situation, or action) having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases

paradox in Context

They had to face the paradox that their family, which was the source of so much love and affection, could also be the source of great hurt and pain.

Did You Know?

The ancient Greeks were well aware that a paradox can take us outside our usual way of thinking. They combined the prefix "para-" ("beyond" or "outside of") with the verb "dokein" ("to think"), forming "paradoxos," an adjective meaning "contrary to expectation." Latin speakers picked up the word and used it to create their noun "paradoxum," which English speakers borrowed during the 1500s to create "paradox."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.