hysteron proteron

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A figure of speech in which a phrase that should come last is put first; hysterology.
  2. An inversion or reversal of the natural order of things.

Word forms

hysteron proteron hysteron proterons

Etymology

From Ancient Greek, from ὕστερον (hústeron, “latter, arriving late”) + πρότερον (próteron, “former, before”).

Derived words

hystero-proterize
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