Socratic irony

[ suh-krat-ik ahy-ruh-nee, ahyer-, soh- ]

noun

1. pretended ignorance in discussion.

Socratic irony

noun

1. philosophy a means by which the pretended ignorance of a skilful questioner leads the person answering to expose his own ignorance

Word History and Origins

Origin of Socratic irony¹

First recorded in 1870–75