word
Literary
chiasmus
ky-AZ-mus
kaɪˈæzməsListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
chiasmus
Sounds like
Say 'ky-AZ-mus' — like 'ky' (rhymes with 'sky') + 'az'.
Dictionary meaning
A rhetorical figure in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed.
History and origin
Greek — 'chiasmos' (crossing — from the letter chi, X).
Examples
- Kennedy's 'Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country' is a perfect chiasmus.
Common mispronunciations
CHEE-az-muschee-AS-mus
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