2023. "wise-foolish"). O loving hate!"). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Ancient Greeks came up with this term for a rhetorical device employing contradiction by combining the word for sharp, keen (oxys) with the aforementioned mros, meaning foolish.. A crisis is defined as a time of serious difficulty or importance. Consider the oxymoron example deafening silence. An oxymoron is also a noun that's defined as "a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in 'cruel kindness' or 'to make haste slowly.'" So when contradictory or opposing words are combined, that expression is an oxymoron. "i find nothing more depressing than optimism.". Who are you? oxymoron, noun : a combination for epigrammatic effect of contradictory or incongruous words. The word follows an earlier obsolete noun dingthrift, with ding meaning to deal blows to, knock down, or beat., We couldnt have a list of oxymorons without mentioning oxymoron itself. (see what we did there? You can find her byline on pieces about grammar, fun facts, the meanings of various head-scratching words and phrases, and more. Learn all about effective imageryandwhat personification is with our expert guides. As a literary device, oxymoron has the effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even entertaining the reader. The conservative political writer William Buckley, for instance, became famous for quotes like, "An intelligent liberal is an oxymoron.". "damn with faint praise" (Pope),[15] It is often composed of an adjective and a noun that are not usually seen together, juxtaposed in a startling way. One feature of this kind of poem is its tendency to describe love as a strange mixture of pain and pleasure. Jane Austen, Emma, 1815. Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday writing or conversation: Think you havent heard of any famous oxymorons? But pairing it with, a very distinct meaning, comparing it to a loud noise that draws extra attention. insertListLink('', 1, 2, 'endfirsth2'). oxymoron (n.) in rhetoric, "a figure conjoining words or terms apparently contradictory so as to give point to the statement or expression," 1650s, from Greek oxymron, noun use of neuter of oxymros (adj.) - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions, Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, Little Bighorn Battlefield (national monument in Montana), CatDog (American animated television series), Big Little Lies (book by Liane Moriarty, adapted into television series for HBO), Quotes from a Devout Atheist (compilation book of Richard Dawkins quotes), Waking Dream (American documentary film), You cant have more types of fake news than real news. (Elon Musk), Im nobody! Smiles are rarely associated with pain. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oxymoron. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. However, its important that writers dont overuse oxymoron as a literary device. Consider the sonnet. Why use phrases that don't seem to make logical sense? This contradiction is also known as a paradox. Here are instances in which its effective to use oxymoron in writing: Since most people dont use oxymoron very often when speaking, it does take linguistic skill to create one that is successful. "Saturday Night Live transcripts." . One moose, two moose. Nordquist, Richard. by William Shakespeare, wherein combining things that contrast is an ongoing theme.) Here's an example of paradox from George Orwell's Animal Farm: Meghan graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2017; her creative nonfiction piece Anticipation was published in the Spring 2017 issue of Angles literary magazine. If you're referring to oxymoron in plural, both oxymorons and oxymora are correct. marekuliasz / iStock / Getty Images Plus. by | Jun 10, 2022 | flying saucer bar locations | metro flexline service manual | Jun 10, 2022 | flying saucer bar locations | metro flexline service manual My play was a complete success. This is an oxymoron because all babies are small. This excerpt from Irish poet William Butler Yeats famous poem "Easter 1916" has the prominent oxymoron "terrible beauty," which is repeated again at the end of the poem. Oxymorons in the narrow sense are a rhetorical device used deliberately by the speaker, and intended to be understood as such by the listener. Paradox is a literary device in which a statement or group of statements features initially contrasting ideas. While we are loath to place restrictions on language use, oxymoron usually refers to a set of contradictory words (such as bittersweet) rather than to a contradictory person. https://www.thoughtco.com/awfully-good-examples-of-oxymorons-1691814 (accessed March 4, 2023). Well also provide you with an extensive list of oxymoronsso you can get a better feel for what oxymorons look and sound like. The most commonly-used example of an oxymoron is 'jumbo shrimp,' as a shrimp is small by definition and therefore cannot be jumbo. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that places contradictory terms next to each other in a word or phrase. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? While an oxymoron is the combination of two contradictory/opposite words in a single sentence, a paradox is an entire phrase/sentence that appears contradictory but, upon further investigation, could be true or plausible. Here are some examples of oxymoron phrases in well-known literary works, along with how they add to interpretation: Good night, good night! 2023 LoveToKnow Media. Overall, as a literary device, oxymoron functions as a means of getting the readers attention through the pairing of opposing or contradictory words. However, as there are so many, you might not catch them all. Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxymoron.' Oxymoron is also a literary device, but is considered a condensed paradox. A common oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." 1828 Words at Play Internal Conflict: The One-Word Oxymoron When a single word contains two conflicting ideas. For example, just pairing any two words that are contradictory wont make for an effective oxymoron. Who Are The Most Romantic Literary Figures of All Time? As a literary device, oxymoron has the effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even entertaining the reader. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective followed by a noun with contrasting meanings. . An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings, like "old news," "deafening silence," or "organized chaos." Oxymorons may seem illogical at first, but in context they usually make sense. As with other rhetorical devices, oxymorons are used for a variety of purposes. As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. What Is an Oxymoron? This presents the word. Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. Oxymoron definition: If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron , you mean that what it refers to combines two. There are oxymorons throughout the alphabet, from "a" to "z." Delivered to your inbox! This five puzzle package is a collection of the five puzzles that I've written on the palindrome, the oxymoron, and the onomatopoeia figures of speech. You mightve heard of another literary device called the paradox, which is similar but not identical to the oxymoron. The word 'Oxymoron' is originally derived from the Greek elements: oxy = sharp and moros (moron) = dull (foolish). We have no choice., Mark Twain: It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech., Samuel Goldwyn: A verbal contract isnt worth the paper its written on.. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. A simpler meaning would be that, it is a set of consecutive words that express conflicting meanings. Note: All bold emphasis in the following quotations is my own. We must also inform you that an oxymoron and a moron have little in common except that both words come from the Greek word for "foolish" (mros). One of the most famous examples of a paradox is thesentence, "This statement is false." Oxymorons also feature in modern comedy and politics. . This means that oxymoron is a figure of speech that includes just a couple of contradictory words that are paired together rather than a full statement of ideas. Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. Now you can see that oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark. The first word is usually used to describe the second word in a way that contrasts with it. Oxymorons is now more common in print than oxymora, but you'll find the latter listed in most dictionaries. ), so this article explains everything you need to know. Find 52 ways to say OXYMORON, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. All Rights Reserved. Late Greek oxymron, from neuter of oxymros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mros foolish. What Is the Figure of Speech Antiphrasis? We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. "expressive silence" (Thomson, echoing Cicero's Latin: cum tacent clamant, lit. Generally, the ideas will come astwo separate words placed side by side. The plural of "oxymoron" is "oxymorons" or "oxymora," but "oxymorons" is far more popular [ evidence ]. For example, "virtual reality" consists of contradictory terms that form a new meaning. Oxymoron of the Day Favorite Oxymoron Terms Calm Storm (Science) Casual Chic (Fashion) Cat fish (Science) Chili (Food) Rather, an oxymoron is a cool literary device you can use in your creative writing. O loving hate!"). nt authority local system. All babies can be childish but, for some reason, adding the word 'big' communicates that the person you are talking about is even more childish than a regular-sized . Reading these words together will often cause a reader to pause and think about what the writer is trying to convey. Many oxymora are simple to understand and interpret their hidden meaning. Need more help with this topic? Oxymoron. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxymoron. Oxymoron definition, a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in "cruel kindness" or "to make haste slowly." See more. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Copyright Penlighten & Buzzle.com, Inc. Thus the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The word is said to be originated from the Greek words, oxy, meaning sharp, pointed and moron, moros that meant dull or foolish. Oxymorons aren't limited to the first few letters of the alphabet. Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! They're not always small, and the word doesn't mean small in this sense. Also, this oxymoron is ironic in the context of a poem in which a funeral is the subject. The word 'big' is added to emphasise the fact that someone is acting more childishly than you would expect. We already gave an oxymoron definition above, so here lets talk about paradoxes. This oxymoron is symbolic of the human condition as reflected in the poets mention of our human lot. In addition, this oxymoron supports and complements the balance of oppositions featured in the rest of the poems structure, such as good and bad, without or with, and friends or foes. You might say that they juxtapose each other, which means, when placed close together, they create an. mars 15, 2021 . The scope of a paradox can go much deeper, drawing on complicated themes and philosophical concepts. Oxymorons can be clearly confusing (see what we did there? Next, read up on what an aphorism is and how its used. J. R. R. Tolkien interpreted his own surname as derived from the Low German equivalent of dull-keen (High German toll-khn) which would be a literal equivalent of Greek oxy-moron. There are a number of single-word oxymorons built from "dependent morphemes"[9] (i.e. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. "proud humility" (Spenser),[13] An oxymoron is a term in which two contradictory terms are combined. They add flavour to speech and can also be cynical, sarcastic, or witty and used for comic effect or relief. Are you Nobody too? (, Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. (, Vidia was complicated, two fairies in one, a loyal traitor. (Gail Carson Levine). Or plastic silverware. We hope you are enjoying Penlighten! Oscar Wilde. They also occasionally work well with figurative language to compound the power behind certain words. Oxymoron phrases can be figuratively true, but not literally true. Website, Richard Nordquist defines oxymorons as a literary device used by writers and poets for centuries "to describe life's inherent conflicts and incongruities.". The reader must momentarily pause to comprehend and process the meaningin other words, oxymorons make the reader think. it is itself an example of an oxymoron. However, liar has negative connotations, as in someone who is untruthful or deceptive.

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