ironic

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /aɪˈɹɑ.nɪk/ UK /aɪˈɹɒn.ɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #7051

Meanings

1

adj
Surprising because it is the opposite of what you would expect.

It was ironic that the fire station itself burned down.
2

adj
Saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking or humorous way.

His ironic remark about the 'lovely' weather made everyone laugh.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · surprising because it is... ironical

2 adj · saying the opposite of what... dry wry ironical

Word family

Derived forms ironical ironicallynonironicpostironicunironic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

ironic novel
a long fictional work marked by humorous mockery or ironic expression

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin īrōnicus, from Ancient Greek εἰρωνικός (eirōnikós). Compare Middle French, ironique, equivalent to irony + -ic.

εἰρωνικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ironic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /aɪˈɹɑ.nɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /aɪˈɹɒn.ɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 7051

## Meanings
1. Surprising because it is the opposite of what you would expect.
2. Saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking or humorous way.

## Examples
- It was ironic that the fire station itself burned down.
- His ironic remark about the 'lovely' weather made everyone laugh.

## Synonyms
- ironical

## Derived Forms
- ironical
- ironically
- nonironic
- postironic
- unironic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: εἰρωνικός

## Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin īrōnicus, from Ancient Greek εἰρωνικός (eirōnikós). Compare Middle French, ironique, equivalent to irony + -ic.

## AI Etymology
Ironic is borrowed from Late Latin īrōnicus, from Ancient Greek εἰρωνικός (eirōnikós). Compare Middle French, ironique, equivalent to irony + -ic. In present-day use, it can mean surprising because it is the opposite of what you would expect, or saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking or humorous way. Derived formations include ironical, ironically, nonironic, postironic, and unironic.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown