paradox
statement or situation that seems contradictory but may reveal truth
Roots
Other words with the dox root
- dogma: a fixed doctrine or belief
- dogmatic: asserting opinions as unquestionable truth
- dogmatism: rigid attachment to doctrine or opinion
- dogmatist: person who states opinions as unquestionable truth
- heterodox: departing from accepted belief or doctrine
- heterodoxy: departure from accepted belief or doctrine
- orthodox: conforming to accepted or traditional belief
- orthodoxy: accepted or traditional belief system
Paradox is against expectation: an idea that stands beside or beyond common opinion.
The paradox of practice is that rest can sometimes improve work more than another hour of effort.
Paradox turns confusion into structure. Para pushes against or beyond what people expect; dox carries opinion. A paradox is not mere nonsense. It is a thought that challenges the obvious opinion.