Pronunciation: ˌ his-t ə - ˌ rän- ' prä-t ə - ˌ rän, -t ə -r ə n- ' prä-t ə -r ə n, - ' pro ̇ -
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek, literally, (the) later earlier, (the) latter first
Date: 1565
: a figure of speech consisting of the reversal of a natural or rational order (as in “ then came the thunder and the lightning ” )