1. Plural of apophasis; statements or assertions that deny or negate something, often used in rhetoric or theology to emphasize what is not being said.
Usage: formal; rhetoric/theology; rare in everyday usage
2. In negative theology, statements that describe God or the divine by what it is not rather than what it is.
Usage: theology; philosophy; specialized

Examples

• The theologian used apophases to describe the nature of God, emphasizing what cannot be said about the divine.
• In apophatic theology, apophases are preferred over direct positive claims about ultimate reality.
• The speaker employed apophases, saying 'I am not suggesting that…' before making a controversial point.
• Medieval philosophers debated whether apophases or cataphatic language better approached truth.
• The text contains numerous apophases that guide the reader by exclusion rather than inclusion.