εἰρωνεία

eironeia

dissimulation

Appears 10 times across Aristotle's works.

Frequency by work

Click a work to list every occurrence by Bekker number — each links into the reader.

Nicomachean Ethics 5
Open Nicomachean Ethics ›
Book II 1
Chapter 7 1107a28–1108b10

1108a22
Book IV 4
Chapter 3 1123a34–1125a35

1124b30
1124b30

Chapter 7 1127a13–1127b32

1127a14
1127b30
Rhetoric 4
Open Rhetoric ›
Book II 1
Chapter 2 1378a30–1380a9

1379b31
Book III 3
Chapter 7 1408a10–1408b20

1408b20

Chapter 18 1418b40–1419b9

1419b8

Chapter 19 1419b10–1420a8

1420a2
Eudemian Ethics 1
Open Eudemian Ethics ›
Book II 1
Chapter 3 1220b21–1221b26

1221a6

Dictionary (LSJ)

εἰρωνεία, ἡ, A. dissimulation, i.e. ignorance purposely affected to provoke or confound an antagonist, a mode of argument used by Socrates against the Sophists, Pl. R. 337a, cf. Arist. EN 1124b30, Cic. Acad. 2.5.15: generally, mock-modesty, opp. ἀλαζονεία, Arist. EN 1108a22; sarcasm, Hermog. Id. 2.8, al.; understatement, Phld. Lib.p.130. II. pretence, assumption, when a person at first appears willing, but then draws back, D. 4.7; τὴν ἡμετέραν βραδυτῆτα καὶ εἰρωνείαν ib. 37. III. generally, dissembling, Ph. 1.345 (pl.), al. 2. pretext, PSI 5.452.23 (iv A.D.).

Key passages & sense analysis (Bonitz)

Index Aristotelicus. Hermann Bonitz's sense-by-sense analysis of εἰρωνεία — with the passages he singles out as decisive for each meaning — will appear here. That curated, interpretive selection is the layer LSJ and a raw concordance don't provide. Digitisation in progress; this entry is not yet available.

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