ironical

English

Etymology

From ironic +‎ -al. Attested since the 1570s.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /aɪˈɹɒnɪkəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /aɪˈɹɑnɪkəl/

Adjective

ironical (comparative more ironical, superlative most ironical)

1. Characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony.
   • 2022 August 9, Ayo Edebiri & Shana Gohd, “Private School” (22:02 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎^[1], season 4, episode 5, spoken by Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak):

     “So, ultimately, I realized I have been completely ruining my life and my face. What is ironical is that I was only doing this to make myself look better for my wife Marwa. This was for her, not for me.”

2. Given to the use of irony; sarcastic.
   • 1913 January–May, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Gods of Mars”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter III, in The Gods of Mars, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., 1918 September, →OCLC, page 40:

     His tone was cold and ironical; its bitterness but reflecting the terrible disappointment he had suffered.

3. (obsolete) Feigning ignorance; simulating lack of instruction or knowledge; exhibiting Socratic irony.

Synonyms

• ironic

Derived terms

• ironically

Translations

characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony

• German: ironisch (de)
• Slovak: ironický

given to the use of irony, sarcasm

• German: ironisch (de)
• Japanese: 皮肉好きな (hiniku-zuki na)
• Slovak: ironický

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 風刺的な (fūshi-teki na)

References

• “ironical”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “ironical”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.