amphiboly

 [am-fib-uh-lee]  

am·phib·o·ly

   [am-fib-uh-lee]
noun, plural am·phib·o·lies.
ambiguity of speech, especially from uncertainty of the grammatical construction rather than of the meaning of the words, as in The Duke yet lives that Henry shall depose.
Also called amphibology.

Origin:
1580–90; < Latin amphibolia < Greek. See amphibolous, -y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Amphiboly is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
amphibology or amphiboly (ˌæmfɪˈbɒlədʒɪ, æmˈfɪbəlɪ)
 
—n , pl -gies, -lies
ambiguity of expression, esp when due to a grammatical construction, as in save rags and waste paper
 
[C14: from Late Latin amphibologia, ultimately from Greek amphibolos ambiguous; see amphibole, -logy]
 
amphiboly or amphiboly
 
—n
 
[C14: from Late Latin amphibologia, ultimately from Greek amphibolos ambiguous; see amphibole, -logy]
 
amphi'bolic or amphiboly
 
—adj
 
amphibolous or amphiboly
 
—adj
 
amphibological or amphiboly
 
—adj
 
amphibo'logically or amphiboly
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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