Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [ok-si-mawr-on, -mohr-]
- /ˌɒk sɪˈmɔr ɒn, -ˈmoʊr-/
- /ˌɒk.sɪˈmɔː.rɒn/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ok-si-mawr-on, -mohr-]
- /ˌɒk sɪˈmɔr ɒn, -ˈmoʊr-/
Definitions of oxymoron word
- noun plural oxymoron a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”. 1
- noun oxymoron paradox, contradiction 1
- countable noun oxymoron If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron, you mean that what it refers to combines two opposite qualities or ideas and therefore seems impossible. 0
- noun oxymoron an epigrammatic effect, by which contradictory terms are used in conjunction 0
- noun oxymoron a figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory ideas or terms are combined (Ex.: thunderous silence, sweet sorrow) 0
Information block about the term
Origin of oxymoron
First appearance:
before 1650 One of the 45% oldest English words
1650-60; < Late Latin oxymorum < presumed Greek *oxýmōron, neuter of *oxýmōros sharp-dull, equivalent to oxý(s) sharp (see oxy-1) + mōrós dull (see moron)
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Oxymoron
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
oxymoron popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 69% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
oxymoron usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for oxymoron
noun oxymoron
- adumbration — to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch.
- alliteration — Alliteration is the use in speech or writing of several words close together which all begin with the same letter or sound.
- anaphora — the use of a word such as a pronoun that has the same reference as a word previously used in the same discourse. In the sentence John wrote the essay in the library but Peter did it at home, both did and it are examples of anaphora
- anti-strophe — the part of an ancient Greek choral ode answering a previous strophe, sung by the chorus when returning from left to right.
- antistrophe — the second of two movements made by a chorus during the performance of a choral ode
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with o
- Words starting with ox
- Words starting with oxy
- Words starting with oxym
- Words starting with oxymo
- Words starting with oxymor
- Words starting with oxymoro
- Words starting with oxymoron