paradoxical
/ˌpɛɹəˈdɑːksɪkəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.88 in modern English
23
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "It is the ambiguity of language only which can make this proposition appear either doubtful or paradoxical. When properly explained and understood, it is almost self-evident."
- "It sounds paradoxical, but I am inclined to think that the weakness and insanity of the curate warned me, braced me, and kept me a sane man."
- "By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect."
- "It was tightly fitted with a cap of the same substance, and bore engraved figurings of an evidently decorative and possibly symbolic nature - conventional designs which seemed to follow a peculiarly alien, paradoxical, and doubtfully describable system of geometry."
- "The new civilizationism is a paradoxical combination of “identitarian” Christianity, secularism, philo-Semitism, Islamophobia, and even some elements of liberalism such as support for gender equality and gay rights."
Etymology
Etymology tree English paradox Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ic Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ical English -ical English paradoxical From paradox + -ical.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌpɛɹəˈdɑːksɪkəl/
- British English: /ˌpæɹəˈdɒksɪkəl/
Inflected Forms
more paradoxical (comparative)
most paradoxical (superlative)