antitheton antitheton
 an-tith'-e-ton from Gk. anti “against” and thesis
“a setting” or tithenai “to set, place”
compositum ex contrariis, contentio
the renconter, the quarreller
contencion

A proof or composition constructed of contraries.
  Antitheton is closely related to and sometimes confused with the figure of speech that juxtaposes opposing terms, antithesis. However, it is more properly considered a figure of thought (=Topic of Invention: Contraries).
Examples
  Flattery hath pleasant beginnings, but the same hath very bitter endings. — R. Sherry
Related Figures
 

Related Topics of Invention
 

 
  Sources: Quintilian 9.3.81; Aquil. 22 ("antitheton," "compositum ex contrariis"); Isidore 1.36.21; Sherry (1550) 56 ("antitheton," "contentio," "contencion");


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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University
Please cite "Silva Rhetoricae" (rhetoric.byu.edu)


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