asteism en · NOUN
Etymology
Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀστεῖος (asteîos, “of the town; urbane”), from ἄστυ (ástu, “town”). Compare Greek αστεϊσμός (asteïsmós).
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) Polite irony; a genteel and ingenious manner of deriding another.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| asteisms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |