French Conversation · Level 43
75 words
French word
paradoxe
Pronunciation
IPA/paʁadɔks/
Meaning
- masculine nounparadox
Example
Son succès est un paradoxe après tant d'échecs.
His success following so many failures is a paradox.
More examples
Un paradoxe de la vie moderne est que tout est connecté et pourtant on se sent seul.
A paradox of modern life is that everything is connected and yet we feel lonely.
Core concept
A statement or outcome that challenges an expected explanation without being simply impossible.
Common phrases
un paradoxe
a paradox
le paradoxe de
the paradox of ___
Similar words
contradiction: A state in which opposing claims or facts cannot both be true at the same time.
incohérence: A lack of coherence in reasoning or behavior that makes it difficult to follow.
Definition in French
Idée, phrase ou situation qui paraît contradictoire ou absurde par rapport à l'attente, mais qui peut se révéler vraie.
Word origin
The French noun paradoxe developed from Latin paradoxum, based on Greek παράδοξος for something contrary to ordinary belief.
Usage tips
- The related adjective is paradoxal, as in une situation paradoxale, rather than an English-style form based directly on paradoxe.
Opposites
- cohérenceconsistencynoun
- logiquelogicnoun
Related words
- paradoxalparadoxicaladjective
- paradoxalementparadoxicallyadverb