What is the term for a figure of speech that reverses the order of words in phrases?

The term that refers to a figure of speech that reverses the order of words in phrases is chiasmus. Chiasmus involves taking two or more clauses and reversing the structure of the phrases in a way that creates a mirror effect. For example, in the statement "Never let a Fool Kiss You, or a Kiss Fool You," the structure of the phrases is flipped around to create a memorable and impactful expression.

Chiasmus is particularly effective in rhetoric and poetry, as it can create a lyrical quality and emphasize the relationship between the ideas being expressed. In contrast, the other terms do not refer specifically to this structural reversal: antithesis involves contrasting ideas in parallel structures, inversion generally describes varied syntactic structures without the specific reversal characteristic of chiasmus, and paradox refers to a statement that contradicts itself but may contain a truth.