amphidiorthosis

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noun

A figure in which the speaker corrects or qualifies both what has been said and the hearer's potential reaction; a double correction that prevents offense or shock .

Scrabble 26

Meanings

nounamphidiorthosis (uncountable)
  1. rhetoricuncountableA figure in which the speaker corrects or qualifies both what has been said and the hearer's potential reaction; a double correction that prevents offense or shock .

    Amphidiorthosis ... a recalling or correction of what has been said, yet not merely with reference to the meaning of the speaker, but also as to the feeling of the hearer. So that the correction is on both sides.

    (Can we date this quote?), E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀμφιδιόρθωσις
  2. Englishamphidiorthosis

From Ancient Greek ἀμφιδιόρθωσις (amphidiórthōsis), from ἀμφί (amphí, “on both sides”) + διά (diá, “through”) + ὀρθόω (orthóō, “to set straight”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“amphidiorthosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphidiorthosis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “amphidiorthosis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphidiorthosis.

Source: amphidiorthosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.