/'pærədɒks; `pærə,dɑks/
n
1 (a) [C] statement that seems to be absurd or contradictory but is or may be true 似非而是的隽语; 看似矛盾而实际（或可能）正确的说法
*`More haste, less speed' is a well-known paradox. ｀欲速不达＇是人所熟知的隽语.
(b) [U] use of this in talking or writing 用于语言文字中的上述隽语或说法
*Paradox and irony are characteristics of her style. 她善于运用似非而是的隽语和反语.
2 [C] person, thing or situation displaying contradictory features 有矛盾特点的人、事物或情况
*It is a paradox that such a rich country should have so many poor people living in it. 如此富足的国家竟有如此多的穷人, 这是个矛盾的现实.

n
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin;Origin: paradoxum, from Greek, from paradoxis 'opposite to what is expected']
[C]
a situation that seems strange because it involves two ideas or qualities that are very different
　It's a paradox that in such a rich country there can be so much poverty.
[C]
a statement that seems impossible because it contains two opposing ideas that are both true
　The paradox is that fishermen would catch more fish if they fished less.
[U]
the use of statements that are a paradox in writing or speech
>paradoxical [,pærə'dɔksɪkəl (US) -'dɑːk-/