hysteron proteron

English

Etymology

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

Noun

hysteron proteron (plural hysteron proterons)

1. (rhetoric) A figure of speech in which a phrase that should come last is put first; hysterology.

   "He is well and lives" is a hysteron proteron.

2. An inversion or reversal of the natural order of things.

Derived terms

• hystero-proterize

See also

• put the cart before the horse