amphibology (redirected from amphibologies)

am·phi·bol·o·gy  (mf-bl-j)

n. pl. am·phi·bol·o·gies

An ambiguous or equivocal statement.

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[French amphibologie, from Late Latin amphibologia : Latin amphibo(lia), ambiguity (from Greek amphiboli, from amphibolos, doubtful; see amphibole) + Latin -logia, -logy (added on the model of such words as tautologia, tautology).]

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amphibology [ˌæmfɪˈbɒlədʒɪ], amphiboly [æmˈfɪbəlɪ]

n pl -gies, -lies

(Philosophy / Logic) ambiguity of expression, esp when due to a grammatical construction, as in save rags and waste paper

[from Late Latin amphibologia, ultimately from Greek amphibolos ambiguous; see amphibole, -logy]

amphibolic , amphibolous [æmˈfɪbələs] adj

amphibological  [æmˌfɪbəˈlɒdʒɪk^əl] adj

amphibologically  adv

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amphibology

1. an ambiguity of language.
2. a word, phrase, or sentence that can be interpreted variously because of uncertainty of grammatical construction rather than ambiguity of the words used, as “John met his father when he was sick.” Also amphibologism, amphiboly. — amphibological, amphibolous, adj.

See also: Grammar

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

amphibology - an ambiguous grammatical construction; e.g., `they are flying planes' can mean either that someone is flying planes or that something is flying planes amphiboly ambiguity - an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context