incongruity

  • 1Incongruity — In con*gru i*ty, n.; pl. {Incongruities}. [Pref. in not + congruity: cf. F. incongruit[ e].] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality or state of being incongruous; lack of congruity; unsuitableness; inconsistency; impropriety. [1913 Webster] The fathers… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2incongruity — I noun abnormality, absurdity, absurdness, contradiction, contradictoriness contrariety, contrariness, deviation, difference, disagreement, discordance, discordancy, discrepancy, disharmony, disparity, dissimilarity, dissimilitude, dissonance,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 3incongruity — (n.) 1530s, from Fr. incongruité or directly from M.L. incongruitas, from L. in not (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + congruitas (see CONGRUITY (Cf. congruity)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4incongruity — [in΄kän gro͞o′i tē, in΄kəngro͞o′i tē] n. [ML incongruitas < L incongruus] 1. the condition, quality, or fact of being incongruous; specif., a) lack of harmony or agreement b) lack of fitness or appropriateness 2. pl. incongruities something… …

    English World dictionary

  • 5incongruity — in|con|gru|i|ty [ˌınkənˈgru:ıti] n plural incongruities [U and C] the fact that something is strange, unusual, or unsuitable in a particular situation ▪ The incongruity of her situation struck Gina with unpleasant force. incongruity between ▪ He… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 6incongruity — [[t]ɪ̱nkɒŋgru͟ːɪti[/t]] incongruities N VAR: oft N of n The incongruity of something is its strangeness when considered together with other aspects of a situation. [FORMAL] She smiled at the incongruity of the question. ...the almost absurd… …

    English dictionary

  • 7incongruity — UK [ˌɪnkənˈɡruːətɪ] / US [ˌɪnkənˈɡruətɪ] noun Word forms incongruity : singular incongruity plural incongruities a) [uncountable] the quality of being very different to other things which happen or exist in the same situation and therefore… …

    English dictionary

  • 8incongruity —    A state of two or more things lacking harmony, being incompatible, inconsistent, absurdly combined. Such things would be described as incongruous. This sometimes results in irony. What makes something humorous or tragic is essentially an… …

    Glossary of Art Terms

  • 9incongruity — in|con|gru|i|ty [ ,ınkən gruəti ] noun uncount the quality of being very different from other things that happen or exist in the same situation and therefore appearing to be strange: the incongruity between de Gaulle s ambitions and the needs of… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 10incongruity — noun 1 (U) strangeness, especially in being unsuitable, unusual, or unexpected in relation to the things around: He was suddenly struck by the incongruity of drinking champagne out of plastic glasses. 2 (C) an act or event which seems strange or… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English