oxymoron
English
/ɒksɪˈmɔːɹɒn/, /ˌɑksiˈmɔɹɑn/
noun
Definitions
- (rhetoric) A figure of speech in which two words or phrases with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect.
- (loosely) A contradiction in terms.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin oxymōrum derived from Ancient Greek ὀξύμωρος root from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (sharp, pointed, edgy).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*h₂eḱ-
Gloss
sharp, pointed, edgy
Concept
Semantic Field
Sense perception
Ontological Category
Property
Kanji
鋭
Emoji
🪒
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- acetic English
- acicular English
- acid English
- acne English
- acrimonious English
- acrimony English
- acrobat English
- acrylic English
- exacerbate English
- oxide English
- oxymoronic English
- oxymoronically English
- oxymoronicity English
- oxymoronicness English
- acer Latin
- acerbātus Latin
- acervus Latin
- acetum Latin
- acia Latin
- acies Latin
- aciēs Latin
- acumen Latin
- acuo Latin
- acus Latin
- acuō Latin
- acūmen Latin
- acūta Latin
- acūtus Latin
- exacum Latin
- mediocris Latin
- mediocritās Latin
- occa Latin
- oxymorus Latin
- oxymōrum Latin
- oxymōrus Latin
- ācris Latin
- acciaiare Italian
- acciaiatura Italian
- acciaiolo Italian
- cacume Italian
- cacuminale Italian
- acerbité French
- μωρός Ancient Greek
- παρακονάω Ancient Greek
- παροξυσμός Ancient Greek
- ἀκή Ancient Greek
- ἀκίς Ancient Greek
- ἀκακία Ancient Greek
- ἀκαχμένος Ancient Greek
- ἀκμή Ancient Greek
- ἀκτή Ancient Greek
- ἀκωκή Ancient Greek
- ἀκόνη Ancient Greek
- ἄκαινα Ancient Greek
- ἄκρον Ancient Greek
- ἄκρος Ancient Greek
- ἄστυ Ancient Greek
- ὀξυόεις Ancient Greek
- ὀξύμωρος Ancient Greek
- ὀξύς Ancient Greek
- *aḱanā Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂egʷs-ih₂- Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱ- Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱ-l- Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱ-l-, *h₂eḱ- Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱmoros Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱst- Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱstis Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂eḱus Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂oḱetis Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂éḱmō Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂éḱru Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂éḱru, *aḱr(u) Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂óḱris Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti Proto-Indo-European
- *h₂ḱrós Proto-Indo-European
- *agjō Proto-Germanic
- *ahaz Proto-Germanic
- *ahsą Proto-Germanic
- *akwisī Proto-Germanic
- *burzô Proto-Germanic
- ateggjan Old Norse
- eggjan Old Norse
- áeggjan Old Norse
- ǫgr Old Norse
- *ostrъ Proto-Slavic
- *osьla̋ Proto-Slavic
- aguillete Old French
- ašs Latvian
- aiguillette Middle French
- aghborre Old Swedish
- *akēō Proto-Italic
- *(a)tsāna Proto-Albanian
- *akˢka Proto-Albanian
- *atˢa Proto-Albanian
- *aϑ- Proto-Albanian
- *akstis Proto-Balto-Slavic
- akwam Tocharian B
- akwatse Tocharian B
- āk Tocharian B
- āka Tocharian B
- āśce Tocharian B
- 𒄀𒈾 Sumerian
- *aśras bat-pro