chiasmus
noun
chi·as·mus
kī-ˈaz-məs 
kē-
: an inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases (as in Goldsmith's to stop too fearful, and too faint to go)
Examples of chiasmus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Third, there are several instances of chiasmus, an A-B-B-A pattern.
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Sam Bray, Washington Post, 23 July 2017
Sam Bray, Washington Post, 23 July 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chiasmus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Chiasmus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiasmus. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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