chiasmus

Definition

An inversion of the relationship between the elements of phrases.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek χῑασμός (khīasmós), from χῑάζω (khīázō, “to mark with an X”), from χ (kh, “chi”).

Example Sentences

• "The book of Habakkuk has been discovered to consist of a closely knit chiastic structure throughout. This is the first poem of such length to stand revealed as a literary unit of this kind, though chiasmus has already been discovered throughout many psalms[…]"
• "John F. Kennedy is more famous for his chiasmus than for many of his policies: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.""
• "Leeman therefore holds that chiasmus is the basic order in Greek and Latin: antithesis is, he claims, normal for the modern, rational mind, but for the Greeks and Romans chiasmus was more natural."

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