🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

Oxymoron

Pronunciation / Transliteration: /ɔksiˈmoːʁɔn/

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Oxymoron/ˌɒk.sɪˈmɔː.rɒn/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #45200 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Der Begriff 'schwarzweißes Bild' kann in manchen Kontexten als Oxymoron wirken."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

    "The phrase 'cruel kindness' is a classic example of an oxymoron."
  2. 2

    Something that is made up of contradictory elements or has contradictory features.

    "For some people, the idea of a 'silent party' is a complete oxymoron."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek words 'oxys' meaning sharp, keen, or pointed, and 'moros' meaning foolish, dull, or stupid. The combination creates a self-contradictory term, fittingly acting as its own oxymoron, and entered the English language in the late 16th century via Renaissance rhetoric.

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