asteism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Polite irony; a genteel and ingenious manner of deriding another.

Word forms

asteism asteisms

Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀστεῖος (asteîos, “of the town; urbane”), from ἄστυ (ástu, “town”). Compare Greek αστεϊσμός (asteïsmós).

Related words

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