paradox
An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
Example
“"This sentence is false" is a paradox.”
Other meanings
A counterintuitive conclusion or outcome.
“It is an interesting paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.”
A claim that two apparently contradictory ideas are true.
“Not having a fashion is a fashion; that's a paradox.”
Related words
- counterparadox
- nonparadox
- paradessence
- paradoxist
- paradoxography
- paradox acacia
- paradox sunflower
Word history
From Ancient Greek "παράδοξος" (unexpected, strange).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “paradox” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.