erotesis

From Late Latin erotesis, from Ancient Greek ἐρώτησις (erṓtēsis), from ἐρωτάω (erōtáō, “I question”).

• IPA^(key): /ɛɹəˈtiːsɪs/

erotesis (plural eroteses)

1. (rhetoric) A figure of speech whereby a question is asked in confident expectation of a negative answer.
   • 1759, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Penguin 2003, p. 50:

     he would sometimes break off in a sudden and spirited EPIPHONEMA, or rather EROTESIS, [...] and demand it categorically of his antagonist, Whether he would take it upon him to say, had he ever remember'd,-----whether he had ever read,---or even whether he had ever heard tell of a man, call'd Tristram, performing any thing great or worth recording?

• erotetic

• erotises, isostere