irony
- The use of words to convey a meaning opposite to their literal sense, or a situation whose outcome is the reverse of what was expected.
- A literary device in which the full meaning of a statement is understood by the audience but not by the characters involved (dramatic irony).
In a sentence
- The irony of the fire station burning down was not lost on the local news reporters.
- She said 'What a lovely day' with heavy irony as rain poured through the leaking roof.
Usage note. 'Irony' is frequently confused with 'coincidence' or 'bad luck'; true irony requires a meaningful reversal or contradiction, not simply an unfortunate event.
Where it comes from
English irony · entered English 16th c.
From Latin 'ironia,' borrowed from Greek 'eironeia,' meaning 'dissimulation' or 'feigned ignorance,' derived from 'eiron' (a dissembler). The concept was associated in classical rhetoric with deliberately understating or feigning ignorance to make a point. It entered English in the 16th century.