was wotd|2006|July|12
English
wikipedia
Etymology
AGr. polytonic|�ξ�μ��ον (oxum�ron) < polytonic|�ξ�� (oxus) "sharp" and polytonic|μ���� (m�ros) "dull" 1
Pronunciation
(UK): IPA|/�ksɪ�m�:r�n/, SAMPA|/QksI?"mO:rQn/
(US): AHD|äk-sÄ-môrʹän, IPA|/É�ksɪË�mÉ�rÉ�n/, SAMPA|/AksI?"mOrAn/
audio|en-us-oxymoron.ogg|Audio (US)
Noun
en-noun|classical plural oxymora; Anglicized plural oxymorons
- A figure of speech in which two words of opposing meanings are used together to express two contrasting qualities in one concept.
#:"Bitter-sweet" is an example of an oxymoron; memories that are bitter-sweet are both painful and pleasant to recall.
- context|loosely|nonstandard A contradiction in terms.
- A paradoxical juxtaposition of two seemingly contradictory words.
Usage notes
The standard meaning of oxymoron is the figure of speech described here, in which the contradiction is deliberate. In a contradiction in terms, the contradiction is unintentional and the person using the word is often unaware of it. Use of oxymoron in the latter sense obscures the standard meaning of the word and so is avoided by careful speakers and writers. (See the w:oxymoron|Wikipedia article.)
Translations
trans-top|figure of speech
Czech: t-|cs|oxymóron|m
French: t|fr|oxymore
Greek, Ancient: �ξ�μ��ον (oxym�ron, n.)
Greek: t|el|οξÏ�μÏ�Ï�ο Ï�Ï�ήμα|n|sc=Grek (oxýmoro schÃma)
Icelandic: refhvörf n|p, öfugmælt n
Italian: t+|it|ossimoro|m
trans-mid
Latin: oxymorum n
Portuguese: t+|pt|oxÃmoro|m
Romanian: oximoron n
Slovak: oxymorón m
Spanish: t-|es|oxÃmoron|m
Swedish: oxymoron, självmotsägelse
trans-bottom
contradiction in terms
See contradiction in terms
External links
Online list of oxymorons (most of which are oxymorons in the nonstandard sense of "contradiction in terms", and some being only contradictions in terms by virtue of puns; claimed to be the largest such online list)
Category:Greek derivations
Category:Rhetoric
de:oxymoron
et:oxymoron
fr:oxymoron
pt:oxymoron
ru:oxymoron
sv:oxymoron
vi:oxymoron
zh:oxymoron
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