Socratic irony

noun

The practice or act of asking someone a question, as though ignorant of the answer, in order to show a flaw in their argument.

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Meanings

nounSocratic irony (countable and uncountable, plural Socratic ironies)

plural Socratic ironies

  1. countableuncountableThe practice or act of asking someone a question, as though ignorant of the answer, in order to show a flaw in their argument.

Translations

Finnish sokraattinen ironia
  • sokraattinen ironiathe practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
French ironie socratique
  • ironie socratiquethe practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
Greek σωκρατική ειρωνεία
  • σωκρατική ειρωνεία (sokratikí eironeía)the practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
Polish ironia sokratejska
  • ironia sokratejskathe practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
Portuguese ironia socrática
  • ironia socráticathe practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
Slovak sokratovská irónia
  • sokratovská iróniathe practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate their ignorance
Cite this entry
APA

Socratic irony. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20irony

MLA

“Socratic irony.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20irony. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Socratic irony,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20irony.

Source: Socratic irony on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.