Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
hysteron-proteron
Noun
/ˌhɪstəˈrɒn ˈprɒtərɒn/
Definition
A rhetorical device in which the natural or logical order of events is reversed, typically to enhance the dramatic effect.
Examples
- “I had a great time at the party, and I had my cake before I ate it!”
- “He died, and it was announced at the funeral that he was a beloved teacher.”
Meaning
Hysteron-proteron refers to a figure of speech in which the second of two events is presented as happening before the first, even though logically it should occur afterward.
Synonyms
- Reversal
- Inversion
- Antimetabole
