French Conversation · Level 15
90 words
French word
ironie
Pronunciation
IPA/iʁoni/
Meaning
- feminine nounirony
Example
Ce n'était pas de l'ironie, c'était sérieux.
That wasn't irony; it was serious.
More examples
Son commentaire était plein d'ironie.
His comment was full of irony.
Core concept
A remark whose literal surface masks the speaker's opposite stance.
Common phrases
faire de l'ironie
make ironic remarks
l'ironie du sort
the irony of fate
ton d'ironie
an ironic tone
Similar words
sarcasme: A cutting remark that sharply criticizes or wounds its target.
moquerie: Words or behavior that ridicule someone's flaws or failures.
dérision: Ridicule that shows contempt and makes someone seem unworthy of respect.
Definition in French
Exprime, souvent de façon indirecte, l'opposé de ce que pense le locuteur pour souligner une contradiction ou se moquer.
Word origin
French ironie comes from Latin ironia, borrowed from Greek eirōneia, meaning feigned ignorance or concealment of one's real view.
Usage tips
- Ironie is feminine, so standard phrases include l'ironie, de l'ironie, and avec ironie.
Other meanings
- sarcasmnoun
Related words
- ironiqueironicadjective
- ironiquementironicallyadverb
- ironiserspeak ironicallyverb