amphibology

English

Etymology

From French amphibologie, from late Latin amphibologia, earlier amphibolia, from Ancient Greek ἀμφιβολία (amphibolía, “ambiguity”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /amfɪˈbɒlədʒi/

Noun

amphibology (countable and uncountable, plural amphibologies)

1. (archaic) Amphiboly.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     In Athens men learn'd […] to resolve a sophisticall argument, and to confound the imposture and amphibologie of words, captiously enterlaced together […]

   • 1646, Thomas Browne, “Of the Nearer and More Immediate Causes of Popular Errours, both in the Wiser, and Common Sort, Misapprehension, Fallacy, or False Distinction, Credulity, Supinity, Adherence unto Antiquitie, Tradition, and Authoritie”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 13:

     [T]he fallacie of Æquivocation and Amphibologie, […] conclude from the ambiguity of ſome vvord, or the ambiguous ſintaxis of many put together.

Alternative forms

• amphibologie (obsolete)