paradox

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈpæɹ.əˌdɑks/ UK /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #14347

Meanings

1

noun
A statement that seems to contradict itself but may still be true.

"This sentence is false" is a famous paradox.
2

noun
A situation that seems strange because it combines opposite features.

It is a paradox that drinking a lot of water can make you feel thirsty.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a situation that seems... contradiction

Word family

Forms paradoxes

Derived forms counterparadoxnonparadoxparadessenceparadoxistparadoxography

Related forms paradoxical paradoxicallyparadoxicianparadoxismparadoxlingparadoxologyparadoxy

Etymology

From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).

*deḱ- Proto-Indo-European paradoxe Middle French paradoxum Latin παράδοξος Ancient Greek

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Abstract Ideas

# paradox

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˈpæɹ.əˌdɑks
**IPA (UK):** ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks
**Frequency rank:** 14347

## Meanings
1. A statement that seems to contradict itself but may still be true.
2. A situation that seems strange because it combines opposite features.

## Examples
- "This sentence is false" is a famous paradox.
- It is a paradox that drinking a lot of water can make you feel thirsty.

## Derived Forms
- counterparadox
- nonparadox
- paradessence
- paradoxist
- paradoxography

## Related Forms
- paradoxical
- paradoxically
- paradoxician
- paradoxism
- paradoxling
- paradoxology
- paradoxy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *deḱ-
- Root: paradoxe
- Root: paradoxum
- Root: παράδοξος
- Affix: para- - beside

## Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).

## AI Etymology
Paradox comes from Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *deḱ-, Middle French paradoxe, Latin paradoxum, and Ancient Greek παράδοξος. Modern senses include a statement that seems to contradict itself but may still be true and a situation that seems strange because it combines opposite features. The wider word family includes derivatives such as counterparadox, nonparadox, paradessence, paradoxist, and paradoxography and related forms such as paradoxical, paradoxically, paradoxician, and paradoxism.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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