paradox

Universal Words noun 1 [C] a person, thing or situation that has two opposite features and therefore seems strange: He was a paradox-a loner who loved to chat to strangers. * It is a curious paradox that professional comedians often have unhappy personal lives. 2 [C,U] a statement containing two opposite ideas that make it seem impossible or unlikely, although it is probably true; the use of this in writing: 'More haste, less speed' is a well-known paradox. * It's a work full of paradox and ambiguity. paradoxical adjective: It is paradoxical that some of the poorest people live in some of the richest areas of the country. paradoxically adverb: Paradoxically, the less she ate, the fatter she got.