apophasis

A1P3O1P3H4A1S1I1S1
UK/əˈpɒf.ə.sɪs/US/əˈpɑf.ə.sɪs/

noun

An allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned.

Similar
paralipsisparasiopesispraeteritiopreteritionapophatic theologyvia negativa
Opposite
cataphasisvia affirmativa
OriginLate Latin apophasis ← Ancient Greek ἀπόφασις ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰā́mā →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounapophasis (countable and uncountable, plural apophases)

plural apophases

  1. countablerhetoricuncountableAn allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned.

    Apophasis, affecting to conceal; What it would seem to hide, will yet reveal.

    1835, L[arret] Langley, “[Rhetorical Figures.] Apophasis.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 63

    Synonyms: paralipsis, parasiopesis, praeteritio, preterition

  2. countableuncountableChristianityA process of arriving at knowledge by statements of denial; particularly, developing a concept of God through negative assertions about his nature.

    Synonyms: apophatic theology, via negativa · Antonyms: cataphasis, via affirmativa

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned.

Similar
paralipsisparasiopesispraeteritiopreterition

nounA process of arriving at knowledge by statements of denial; particularly, developing a concept of God through negative assertions about his nature.

Similar
apophatic theologyvia negativa
Opposite
cataphasisvia affirmativa
Also see
paralipsis

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂
  2. Proto-Hellenic*pʰā́mā
  3. Ancient Greekἀπόφασις“denial, negation”
  4. Late Latinapophasis
  5. Englishapophasis

Via Late Latin apophasis from Ancient Greek ἀπόφασις (apóphasis, “denial, negation”) from ἀπο- (apo-, “away, from, off”) + φάσις (phásis, “statement, proposition”) from φημί (phēmí, “to speak”) from Proto-Hellenic *pʰā́mā from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂; whence Latin fārī, cognate to fame, fable.

More words from Late Latin, Ancient Greek, Proto-Hellenic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 陽否陰述 /阳否阴述
  • 陽否陰述 /阳否阴述 (yángfǒuyīnshù)allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Finnish apofaasi, paralipsis
  • apofaasiallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
  • paralipsisallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
German Paralipse, Praeteritio
  • Paralipseallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
  • Praeteritioallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Polish apofaza
  • apofazaallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Portuguese apófase
  • apófaseallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Russian апофа́зия
  • апофа́зия (apofázija)allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Spanish paralipsis, preterición
  • paralipsisallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
  • pretericiónallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Tagalog pakunwari
  • pakunwariallusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned
Cite this entry
APA

apophasis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apophasis

MLA

“apophasis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apophasis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “apophasis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apophasis.

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