Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

xanatos gambit

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.50 in modern English

Syllables: xanatos gam-bit
IPA

25

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A subtle plan (usually villainous) that cannot be foiled, such that attempts to defeat it actually further its creator's goals.

Slang

Example Sentences

"It strikes me, as it no doubt has struck many of you, that this strategy is cynical. What may not have struck you is how cynical, how much of a Xanatos Gambit, this game their playing really is."
"Beale can insist that he brilliantly put Hugo voters in the jaws of a Xanatos Gambit whereby every choice is a losing move[…]"
""How do we know this isn't part of some elaborate Xanatos Gambit?" I left off staring at the traffic. "Some elaborate what?" "Some sort of complicated scheme. I mean, how do we know this isn't all exactly what she wants us to do?""

Etymology

Coined on TV Tropes in reference to the character David Xanatos from Gargoyles, who is depicted as a criminal mastermind who often claims victory after his apparent defeat.

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

Xanatos gambits (plural)

Phrases

Kobayashi Maru heads I win, tails you lose

Frequently Paired Words

Kobayashi Maru heads I win, tails you lose

Questions

What does xanatos gambit mean?: A subtle plan (usually villainous) that cannot be foiled, such that attempts to defeat it actually further its creator's goals.
Where does xanatos gambit come from?: Coined on TV Tropes in reference to the character David Xanatos from Gargoyles, who is depicted as a criminal mastermind who often claims victory after his apparent defeat.

How to pronounce xanatos gambit

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