scare quotes

plural noun

1. a pair of quotation marks used around a term or phrase to indicate that the writer does not think it is being used appropriately or that the writer is using it in a specialized sense: Compare air quotes.

   a “huge breakthrough” in the negotiations.

scare quotes

plural noun

1. quotation marks placed around a word or phrase to indicate that it should not be taken literally or automatically accepted as true

Word History and Origins

Origin of scare quotes¹

First recorded in 1955–60