Meanings
plural antimetaboles
- countablerhetoricuncountableThe technique of repeating a phrase while reversing the order of certain elements or its grammatical structure, as a form of juxtaposition.
Antimetabole at effect will strain, And words and terms revers'd employ again.
1835, L[arret] Langley, “[Rhetorical Turns.] Antimetabole.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 901 more example
"Mankind must put an end to war or else war will put an end to mankind." Many other instances may be found in kind. As one reserves fine china for the most special occasions and in only the most select company, so Kennedy used his beloved antimetabole.
2008, Michael E Eidenmuller, Great Speeches For Better Speaking, page 92
Origin
- Ancient Greekἀντιμεταβολή
- Englishantimetabole
From Ancient Greek ἀντιμεταβολή (antimetabolḗ). By surface analysis, anti- (“opposite”) + Ancient Greek μετᾰβολή (metăbolḗ, “transformation”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French antimétabole
- antimétabolerhetorical technique
Māori kupu huri hāngai
- kupu huri hāngairhetorical technique
Polish antymetabola, antymetalepsja
- antymetabolarhetorical technique
- antymetalepsjarhetorical technique
- antymetatezarhetorical technique
Portuguese antimetábole
- antimetábolerhetorical technique
Russian антимета́бола
- антимета́бола (antimetábola)rhetorical technique
Cite this entry
antimetabole. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimetabole
“antimetabole.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimetabole. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antimetabole,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimetabole.
Source: antimetabole on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.