Main Entry:

catch–22

Pronunciation:

\-ˌtwen-tē-ˈtü\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural catch–22's or catch–22s

Usage:

often capitalized

Etymology:

from Catch-22, paradoxical rule in the novel Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller

Date:

1971

1: a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule <the show-business catch–22—no work unless you have an agent, no agent unless you've worked — Mary Murphy> ; also : the circumstance or rule that denies a solution2 a: an illogical, unreasonable, or senseless situation b: a measure or policy whose effect is the opposite of what was intended c: a situation presenting two equally undesirable alternatives3: a hidden difficulty or means of entrapment : catch