antithesis

Borrowed from Latin antithesis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀντίθεσις (antíthesis). By surface analysis, anti- +‎ thesis.

• IPA^(key): /ænˈtɪθ.ɪ.sɪs/, /ænˈtɪ.θə.sɪs/, /ænˈtɪθ.ə.səs/

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• Hyphenation: an‧tith‧e‧sis

antithesis (plural antitheses)

1. A proposition that is the diametric opposite of some other proposition.

   Hypernyms: opposite; antipode

   • 1881, Immanuel Kant, translated by F. Max Müller, Critique of Pure Reason, translation of original in German, page 486:

     For if every condition of everything conditioned (according to its existence) is sensuous, and therefore belongs to the series, that series is again conditioned (as shown in the antithesis of the fourth antinomy).

   • 2016 September 6, Timothy Stanley, “How Phyllis Schlafly gave us Sarah Palin”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     Unless one final Schlafly paradox gets in the way. Before she died, the First Lady of the Conservative Movement endorsed Trump. That makes sense: Schlafly was a paleoconservative who was worried about immigration. But Trump has turned out to be the most unchivalrous candidate in living memory, the very antithesis of Schlafly’s ideal Christian standard.

   • 2025 March 25, Daisy Stephens, “Paddington vandals 'antithesis' of bear, says judge”, in BBC‎^[2]:

     On the night of the 2nd of March 2025, your actions were the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for.

2. (rhetoric) A device by which two contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in parallel form; a figure of speech arranged in this manner
   • 1835, L[arret] Langley, “[Rhetorical Figures.] Antithesis.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 22:

     Antithesis, opposing things to things,
     Oft from the contrast strength and beauty brings.

3. (philosophy) The second stage of a dialectical process in which the thesis is negated.

• epitome