Dictionary

paradoxical en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌpɛɹəˈdɑːksɪkəl/ (General-American)
• /ˌpæɹəˈdɒksɪkəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English paradox Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ic Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ical English -ical English paradoxical From paradox + -ical.

Meanings

1. Having self-contradictory properties.
   • It was tightly fitted with a cap of the same substance, and bore engraved figurings of an evidently decorative and possibly symbolic nature - conventional designs which seemed to follow a peculiarly alien, paradoxical, and doubtfully describable system of geometry. 1933, H. P. Lovecraft, Hazel Heald, Out of the Aeons:
   • By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 4, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
   • The new civilizationism is a paradoxical combination of “identitarian” Christianity, secularism, philo-Semitism, Islamophobia, and even some elements of liberalism such as support for gender equality and gay rights. 2017 December 6, Rogers Brubaker, “The New Language of European Populism”, in brubaker.scholar.ss.ucla.edu, page 2:
   • It sounds paradoxical, but I am inclined to think that the weakness and insanity of the curate warned me, braced me, and kept me a sane man. 1898, H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, Book 2, ch 4:
   • It is the ambiguity of language only which can make this proposition appear either doubtful or paradoxical. When properly explained and understood, it is almost self-evident. 1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, book II, ch 2:

Forms

Antonyms

self-consistent (having self-contradictory properties) · self-evident (having self-contradictory properties)

Deriveds

paradoxical embolism · paradoxical frog · paradoxical rage reaction · paradoxicalness · nonparadoxical · unparadoxical · paradoxical intention · semiparadoxical · paradoxical undressing · paradoxical sleep · ultraparadoxical

Relateds

paradoxically · paradox · paradoxicality

Synonyms

oxymoronic (having self-contradictory properties) · self-contradictory (having self-contradictory properties)

Translations (25)

tr paradoksal (having self-contradicting properties) · ca paradoxal (having self-contradicting properties) · gl paradoxal (having self-contradicting properties) · kk парадоксалды (having self-contradicting properties) · ja 逆説的な (having self-contradicting properties) · de paradox (having self-contradicting properties) · es paradójico (having self-contradicting properties) · lv paradoksāls (having self-contradicting properties) · fi paradoksaalinen (having self-contradicting properties) · kk әдеттен тыс (having self-contradicting properties) · fr paradoxal (having self-contradicting properties) · ru парадокса́льный (having self-contradicting properties) · ja 逆説の (having self-contradicting properties) · yi פּאַראַדאָקסיש (having self-contradicting properties) · nl paradoxaal (having self-contradicting properties) · pt paradoxal (having self-contradicting properties) · it assurdo (having self-contradicting properties) · it paradossale (having self-contradicting properties) · pl paradoksalny (having self-contradicting properties) · cmn 自相矛盾的 (having self-contradicting properties) · kk парадокстық (having self-contradicting properties) · es paradojal (having self-contradicting properties) · hy պարադոքսային (having self-contradicting properties) · sv paradoxal (having self-contradicting properties) · hu paradox (having self-contradicting properties)