parataxis

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UK/paɹəˈtaksɪs/US/ˌpɛɹəˈtæksɪs/

noun

Speech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions.

“He said "I came; I saw; I conquered," is an instance of parataxis.”

Opposite
hypotaxis
OriginAncient Greek παράταξις →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounparataxis (usually uncountable, plural parataxes)

plural parataxes

  1. uncountableusuallygrammarSpeech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions.

    He said "I came; I saw; I conquered," is an instance of parataxis.

    1 more example

    He finished reading about parataxis and hypotaxis (they either had something to do with writing or else with futuristic transportation, but he couldn't decide which) [...].

    2007, Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society, page 25

    Antonyms: hypotaxis

  2. uncountableusuallyliteratureThe juxtaposition of two images or fragments, usually starkly dissimilar, without a clear connection.
  3. historicaluncountableusuallygovernmentA coalition or "partisan camp" in the Ancient Greek political system.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSpeech or writing in which clauses or phrases are placed together without being separated by conjunctions.

Opposite
hypotaxis

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπαράταξις“placement side by side”
  2. Englishparataxis

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek παράταξις (parátaxis, “placement side by side”), from παρα- (para-) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”); equivalent to para- + taxis.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan parataxi
  • parataxiin grammar
Chinese Mandarin 意合式, 並列結構 /并列结构
  • 意合式 (yìhéshì)in grammar
  • 並列結構 /并列结构 (bìngliè jiégòu)in grammar
Danish paratakse, sideordning
  • parataksein grammar
  • sideordningin grammar
Finnish parataksis, parataksis
  • parataksisin grammar
  • parataksisin literature
French parataxe
  • parataxein grammar
German Nebenordnung, Parataxis
  • Nebenordnungin grammar
  • Parataxisin grammar
  • Parataxein grammar
Greek παράταξις
  • παράταξις (parátaxis)in grammar
Italian paratassi
  • paratassiin grammar
Latin parataxis
  • parataxisin grammar
Norwegian paratakse, sideordning
  • parataksein grammar
  • sideordningin grammar
Portuguese parataxe
  • parataxein grammar
Russian парата́ксис
  • парата́ксис (paratáksis)in grammar
Spanish parataxis
  • parataxisin grammar
Swedish paratax
  • parataxin grammar
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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