hysteron proteron
/ˌhɪstərɒn ˈprɒtərɒn
/noun Rhetoric
A figure of speech in which what naturally would come last is put first, for example ‘I die! I faint! I fail!’.The reverse chronological order of these actions is an example of hysteron proteron, from the Greek for ‘later/first.’...
- Shakespeare is a master in the use of hysteron proteron.
Origin
Mid 16th century: late Latin, from Greek husteron proteron 'the latter (put in place of) the former'.