from chiaro clear, light + oscuro obscure, dark1686 1 :pictorial representation in terms of light and shade without regard to color 2 a :the arrangement or treatment of light and dark parts in a pictorial work of art b :the interplay or contrast of dissimilar qualities (as of mood or character) 3 :a 16th century woodcut technique involving the use of several blocks to print different tones of the same color also :a print made by this technique 4 :the interplay of light and shadow on or as if on a surface 5 :the quality of being veiled or partly in shadow

a rhetorical device that involves using words in a way that's opposite to their normal meaning, usually for humorous or ironic effect. For example, you might describe someone who is very tall as "a midget for you"