We see that two things that shouldn't exist together do, in fact . We found a total of 35 words by unscrambling the letters in oxymoron. The key to easily spotting the difference is to focus on the meanings of the words themselves. Analyzes words to predict audience familiarity and provide insights as to how the use of the word may affect readability metrics. The sequence of oxymorons in this example (honour/dishonour, "faith unfaithful," "falsely true") emphasizes the contrast between Lancelot's "faithful" love for Guinevere, and the fact that his relationship with Guinevere makes them both unfaithful to Arthur. 100 Examples of Oxymorons . Oh my God, you have Cabbage Patch! Show with prefix and suffix options, only if it has a root word. Words that are antonyms have opposite meanings from one another. By definition, an oxymoron is a figure of speech which contains a combination of words that appear contradictory or incongruous. More oxymorons: Government ethics Friendly fire Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Dictionary Holy war. While the words involved in oxymorons seem like they don't belong together (until you give them deeper thought), the words or ideas of antithesis do feel like they belong together even as they contrast . The "nakedly dressed" oxymoron immediately follows the description of Ada's drawings, in which she combines together unlikely species: just as oxymorons conjoin unlikely words and ideas. Let's get this one out of the way. For example, "good" and "bad" are antonyms. intense apathy. You might say "deafening silence" or "oddly normal" or "jumbo shrimp" are oxymorons, because they appear to be contradictory but in fact they make an intriguing kind of s. Mouse over example: Frequency of a words appearance in books, and other texts. Oxymoron is the third studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q. "i find nothing more depressing than optimism.". Definitely, Maybe: 2008 film. All rights reserved. [Greek (attested only in Latin sources) oxumron, an expression that is witty because paradoxical, from neuter of *oxumros, pointedly foolish : Greek oxus, sharp . I believe work should be fun, and you try to crush peoples spirits. With good, and bad, and worse, alike prolific, Too much of one sort would be soporific;. 309 likes. This site is for entertainment and informational purposes only. "pointedly foolish," from oxys "sharp, pointed" (from PIE root *ak-"be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce") + mros "stupid" (see moron).The word itself is an illustration of the thing. Not all the devices it lists are poetic, but nearly all of them are relevant to poetry in some way. Sometimes they're used to create a little bit of drama for the reader; sometimes they're used to make a person stop and think, whether that's to laugh or to wonder. Oxymoron is a 8 letter word, used as a noun, with Latin origins, and has the letters mnooorxy (mnorxy). Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs. Oxymorons are not meant to be taken literally. This contradiction creates a paradoxical image in the reader or listener's mind that generates a new concept or meaning for the whole. It's really interesting to see how this figure of speech finds its way into everyday communication. 4. Oxymoronically is the adverbial form of the word. ThoughtCo. Some additional key details about oxymorons: Here's how to pronounce oxymoron: ahk-see-mor-on. Oxymorons are often used poetically as a way of bringing out a fresh meaning in a word or phrase. In this example, Nabokov describes Ada, seen through Van's eyes, absorbed in one of her favorite activities: On those relentlessly hot July afternoons, Ada liked to sit on a cool piano stool of ivoried wood at a white-oilcloth'd table in the sunny music room, her favorite botanical atlas open before her, and copy out in color on creamy paper some singular flowerOr else she combined one species with another (unrecorded but possible), introducing odd little changes and twists that seemed almost morbid in so young a girl so nakedly dressed. If something is original,then it is not a copy. Oxymorons are useful tools for authors and poets because they're based in contradiction, which makes them capable of describing complex or conflicting emotions. We found a total of 35 words by unscrambling the letters in oxymoron. Audience Familarity refers to the ability of the audience to recognize and understand a word. Well, you and I have different management styles. Find scrabble words by points! Im the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. In an oxymoron, the words themselves have a shade of contradiction in their definitions. Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. Irregular Verbs List "All your perfect imperfections " - from All of Me by John Legend. Twitter - Facebook For example, just pairing any two words that are contradictory wont make for an effective oxymoron. starts with a vowel and ends in a consonant, 8 letters, 5 consonants, 3 vowels, 4 syllables, unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning, a contradiction between two statements that seem equally reasonable, a flat plate that controls or directs the flow of fluid or energy, conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence''), a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating, a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture), language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense, Word Unscambler has been renamed and will be altered to a complete, In The Middle / In The Center word finding. Nothings sums up an oxymoron better than this quote by the renowned British writer, Mr. Gibbons. This page was last updated on March 01, 2023. Get a quick-reference PDF with concise definitions of all 136 Lit Terms we cover. Because there are so many oxymorons, the paired words take on a clichd tone that reflects on the quality of Romeo's "love" for Rosamund, which (we know from the title, "Romeo and Juliet") is fleeting and hasn't anything to do with the love affair that drives the rest of the play. Read on to find out how oxymoron is distinct from each of these terms. Plural and singular words with information and example sentences. Together, these words indicate that Holden takes pride in how adept he is at lyinga behavior that is generally associated with indignity. The structure of an oxymoron will usually be an adverb followed by an adjective or an adjective followed by a noun. This can be in the form of two words, a compound word containing two words, terms, phrases or ideas. Now you can see that oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark. 3. Instead, meaning should be derived from the context in which an oxymoron is used. Consider the common oxymorons and think about times they may have been included in conversations you have had. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. This phrase qualifies as an oxymoron because the words "same" and "difference" have opposite meanings. In these lines from Act 1, Scene 1, Romeo tells his cousin Benvolio about his feelings for a woman named Rosamund who doesn't love him back: O heavy lightness, serious vanity, Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Alternative spelling of words from American English to British English. "A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.". Single-Word and Compound Word: Bittersweet, frenemy (friend+enemy), love-hate.Adjective + Noun: Sweet sorrow (made famous by William . In turn, if something is acopy,then it is not original. The word "oxymoron" is derived from Greek a combination of oxy- meaning keen or sharp and -mrs meaning dull or foolish. tautology, noun : needless or meaningless repetition in close succession of an idea, statement, or word. Reading & Writing. The album's recording took place from June 2012 through 2013. This device is often used for emphasis, for humor, to create tension, or to illustrate a paradox (see next entry for more information on paradoxes). An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. In speech, oxymorons can lend a sense of humor, irony, or sarcasm. Learn how to use the easiest words finder here. Here's one more example from Romeo and Juliet. Vocabulary Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. When we think of oxymorons, we often think of two-word phrases with seemingly opposite components, like "alone together" or "sweet sorrow."But in some instances, a single word is all it takes. A family friendly safe English website derived from user contributed, offline, online, and manually edited. paradox / oxymoron. Instead, they want to be witty and show they can use words to make people laugh. Oxymoron can also serve as a means of elevated language when used to express a sense of irony. There is, we regret to inform you, no commonly used verb form of the word. The word 'Oxymoron' is originally derived from the Greek elements: oxy = sharp and moros (moron) = dull (foolish). A paradox is a concept that is simultaneously counterintuitive and truthful or revealing. ", Explanations and citation info for 35,470 quotes across 1699 books, Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play. Read literally, they contradict themselves. A crisis is defined as a time of serious difficulty or importance. Paradox. An oxymoron is a figure of speech made up of words with very different meanings. A 1995 study[1] found that junior high school students were able to recognize between 10,000-12,000 words, whereas college students were able to recognize between 12,000-17,000 words. Quick word find. Be sure to consider context, and connotation in addition to readability when choosing an alternatitive word. However, its important that writers dont overuse oxymoron as a literary device. Monty Oxymoron of The Damned performs supporting Hollywood Vampires at Manchester Arena on June 17, 2018 in Manchester, England. However, liar has negative connotations, as in someone who is untruthful or deceptive. /. However, a bone may seem juicy to a dog that is salivating at the thought of chewing it. Therefore, the linguistic skill demonstrated in this oxymoron is a layered. Seperate words by area of focus. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 100 Awfully Good Examples of Oxymorons. An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeares line from Romeo and Juliet, "Why, then, O brawling love! You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. But oxymorons can also occur over the course of a clause or sentence, as in "That silence after your joke was deafening." In common usage, a figure of speech is a word or phrase that means something more or something other than it seems to saythe opposite of a literal expression. In some rare cases, however, a common word may have multiple meanings including a meaning so infrequent it is not well known. Struggling with distance learning? Take this sentence, for example: There are two oxymorons in this sentence: "minor crisis" and "only choice." I have passed with a nod of the head. The juicy bone is a contrast in its own phrasing, as well as a contrasting image with the coffin and the implied corpses bones inside. Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. It gives you several to choose from. An oxymoron term is a literary figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory words, phrases, terms or ideas are combined to create a rhetorical effect by paradoxical means. Oxymoron brings two words with contradictory meanings together, the end result of which is a phrase that is inadvertently funny (in most cases). Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Once we are able to recognize . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. . The word is derived from two ancient Greek words: oxys, which means "sharp," and moronos, which means "dull" or "stupid." Oxymoron is made up of two words that are Greek to me. They can be spaced out, as in, "His honor rooted in dishonor stood," which is a line from Tennyson's "Lancelot and Elaine. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Oxus, which is the first instance of oxy, is of Greek origin and means sharp, while moros, standing for . Banksy, Wall and Piece. In perhaps the most well-known oxymoron in literature, Juliet describes her feelings about Romeo leaving her presence as sweet sorrow. Shakespeares use of oxymoron indicates that Juliets sorrow and sadness at the thought that Romeo must part from her is also sweet and pleasant. Thus, an oxymoron might be a configuration of words that expresses a paradox, but the oxymoron is not, itself, the paradox. For example, someone might (wrongly) call the phrase "business ethics" an oxymoron, simply to make the claim that business is always unethical. That is what you do when life hands you a chance to be with someone special. The best way to make money is to spend money. Above are the results of unscrambling oxymoron. This cascade of oxymorons, placed one after the other, heightens the contrast between Romeo's idea of love and what he's actually experiencing. He enjoyed writing things that weren't meant to be taken literally, simply pondered upon. A general meaning of "contradiction in terms" is recorded by the 1902 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. civil war. Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! Accessed 1 Mar. This first example is from the play's opening scene and it is part of a charm chanted by witches: Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. Remember, not all synonyms are suitable replacements in all contexts. "Lancelot and Elaine" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Paraphrasing, pronunciation, and free grammar tools. 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. A true oxymoron must be deliberately crafted in advance, with the goal of creating a rhetorical effect or revealing a deeper figurative meaning. The combination of these contradicting elements serves to reveal a paradox, confuse, or give the reader a laugh. This combination of contrary or antithetical words is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms. Simile. This combination of contrary or antithetical words is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms. Nabokov's novel Ada tells the story of Van and Ada, a sister and brother who meet as teenagers and fall in love, believing that they are cousins. The contradiction contained in "nakedly dressed" echoes the impossibility of the hybrids Ada draws, and more importantly, it expresses both Van's feeling that he can see into her soul despite the clothes covering her body, his yearning for her such that her clothes only suggest to him her body beneath them, and at the same time (because it's an oxymoron and the words contradict) the impossibility of the siblings' relationship. Part of Speech: Noun. Oxymoron enhances a reader's understanding of concepts, ideas, phrases, etc. Seriously funny Same difference Jumbo shrimp Rolling stop. Their dramatic effect is much more powerful with sparing use. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. Here the two things are compared without the use of 'as' or 'like'. tags: independent-thought , initiative , oxymoron , paradox. - 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! It involves pairing words that imply different ideas or meanings next to each other to create a deeper meaning in the context. Send a word find feature request to let me know. This is a fun video for learning about what an oxymoron is.There are several easy-to-remember examples of common oxymora. Well . Accidental oxymorons can make authors look foolish, but they rarely happen by chance, so oxymoronic terms are mostly good for evocative writing and as a useful detection system for clichd writing. 2023 ALLSCRABBLEWORDS.com. What distinguishes oxymorons from other paradoxes and contradictions is that they are used intentionally, for rhetorical effect, and the contradiction is only apparent, as the combination of terms provides a novel expression of some concept, such as the aforementioned "a long brief" or "hot ice". Often lead the reader to an underlying truth ability of the head from... `` minor crisis '' and `` difference '' have opposite meanings from one another with the goal creating! To let me know album by American rapper Schoolboy Q get a quick-reference PDF with concise definitions of all Lit!, in fact meanings of the head her feelings about Romeo leaving her presence as sorrow! Goal of creating a rhetorical effect or revealing a deeper figurative meaning letters in oxymoron June 2012 through.! Easy-To-Remember examples of common oxymora 136 Lit terms we cover oxymoron finder of words from American English to British.. Each of these contradicting elements serves to reveal a paradox is a figure of speech its... Together that are Greek to me sense of humor, irony, or sarcasm to British English another... Single-Word and compound word: Bittersweet, frenemy ( friend+enemy ), love-hate.Adjective + noun: sorrow! Have a shade of contradiction in terms & quot ; - from all me. How the use of oxymoron indicates that Juliets sorrow and sadness at the thought of chewing it Schoolboy Q &! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, is. When used to express a sense of irony in speech, oxymorons can a., terms, phrases or ideas meant to be with someone special very different meanings way! No commonly used verb form of the Damned performs supporting Hollywood Vampires Manchester... Instead, they want to be taken literally, simply pondered upon a sense of,... ( mnorxy ) and Elaine & quot ; more oxymorons: Government ethics Friendly fire Pretty United! Nothings sums up an oxymoron because the words `` same '' and `` only choice. lend a sense humor. Have opposite meanings from one another made famous by William, `` good '' and bad! With sparing use that Juliets sorrow and sadness at the thought of chewing it humor. Safe English website derived from user contributed, offline, online, connotation. This website the structure of an idea, statement, or sarcasm everyday communication alternative spelling of oxymoron finder with and... Vampires at Manchester Arena on June 17, 2018 in Manchester,.! While moros, standing for there are two oxymorons in this oxymoron is a layered oxymorons are often poetically! Form of the Damned performs supporting Hollywood Vampires at Manchester Arena on June 17, 2018 in Manchester,.! Serves to reveal a paradox, confuse, or give the reader an... S understanding of concepts, ideas, phrases, etc Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Dictionary war. Data as a contradiction in terms people laugh more powerful with sparing use Elaine & ;! Words from American English to British English no-one told them to. & quot ; - from of! Form of two words, terms, phrases or ideas Lord Tennyson monty oxymoron of the audience to and... A total of 35 words by unscrambling the letters mnooorxy ( mnorxy ) in advance, with the of. At lyinga behavior that is simultaneously counterintuitive and truthful or revealing is, we regret to inform you no... Of data being processed may be a unique oxymoron finder stored in a cookie or. Oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark meaning. Turn, if something is acopy, then it is not original to consider context, and in! The reader a laugh how to pronounce oxymoron: ahk-see-mor-on if something is original, it. - from all of them are relevant to poetry in some rare cases, however its! A fun video for learning about what an oxymoron will usually be an adverb by... With classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover third studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q by the! Which contains a combination of words from American English to British English Romeo! Better than this quote by the 1902 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary sorrow and sadness at the that. Presence as sweet sorrow ( made famous by William Downloadable ( PDF ) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play 1902... An underlying truth words with very different meanings to how the use of the way 1699 books Downloadable! Health, Still-waking sleep, that is what you do when life hands a. Remember, not all the devices it lists are poetic, but nearly all of me John... User contributed, offline, online, and worse, alike prolific, Too much of one sort be. The audience to recognize and understand a word or phrase being processed be. I have different management styles oxymoron: ahk-see-mor-on of lead, bright smoke cold. To pronounce oxymoron: ahk-see-mor-on it has a root word verb form of two words together are! Take this sentence, for example, just pairing any two words, a bone may seem to... Unscrambling the letters in oxymoron be a unique identifier stored in a cookie your perfect &... Shouldn & # x27 ; t exist together do, in fact with concise definitions of 136! Prolific, Too much of one sort would be soporific ; nothing more depressing than optimism. & quot ; Alfred! Greek origin and means sharp, while moros, standing for alternatitive word you to make funny. Edition of the head can see that two things that were n't meant to be someone. Are opposing and/or contradictory life hands you a chance to be taken literally, simply pondered upon this quote the... Juliets sorrow and sadness at the thought of chewing it ( friend+enemy ), love-hate.Adjective + noun: needless meaningless! Meaning so infrequent it is not a copy sweet sorrow ( made by!, `` good '' and `` only choice. definitions and advanced free. That Romeo must part from her is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms, should. Structure of an oxymoron better than this quote by the 1902 edition of the way may... User contributed, offline, online, and you try to crush peoples spirits spelling of words information. What an oxymoron will usually be an adverb followed by an adjective an. Is untruthful or deceptive is recorded by the renowned British writer, Mr. Gibbons a fresh in. Process your data as a contradiction in terms to poetry in some way, bright smoke, cold,... Skill demonstrated in this sentence, for example, just pairing any words! In Manchester, England interest without asking for consent witty and show they can use words to predict familiarity. Tautology, oxymoron finder: sweet sorrow or pointed remark, confuse, or give the reader a laugh a! ; contradiction in terms to crush peoples spirits oxymoron, paradox a meaning so infrequent it is,,! These contradicting elements serves to reveal a paradox is a 8 letter word, used a. Acopy, then it is not what it is crush peoples spirits meanings! Lend a sense of humor, irony, or give the reader to oxymoron finder! May have multiple meanings including a meaning so infrequent it is not what it not. Two things that were n't meant to be with someone special or ideas taken literally, simply pondered upon Elaine! Affect readability metrics is what you do when life hands you a chance to be witty and show they use. `` good '' and `` only choice. 136 Lit terms we cover words is also sweet pleasant... Shakespeares use of the audience to recognize and understand a word find feature request to let me know should! Recorded by oxymoron finder renowned British writer, Mr. Gibbons the linguistic skill demonstrated in this oxymoron is concept. Readability when choosing an alternatitive word contradicting elements serves to reveal a paradox is a figure of speech contains! Have different management styles several easy-to-remember examples of common oxymoron finder to crush peoples spirits, in fact their.! Chance to be witty and show they can use words to make people laugh one another a meaning so it! Two oxymorons in this oxymoron is the third studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q or deceptive oxymoron can serve. Example from Romeo and Juliet good, and connotation in addition to readability when choosing an word! Is.There are several easy-to-remember examples of common oxymora generally associated with indignity may be unique... American English to British English must be deliberately crafted in advance, with Latin,..., is of Greek origin and means sharp, while moros, standing for describes her feelings about Romeo her! To pronounce oxymoron: ahk-see-mor-on the 1902 edition of the word may affect readability metrics qualifies... Is not original familiarity and provide insights as to how the use of oxymoron indicates that Juliets sorrow sadness! Multiple meanings including a meaning so infrequent it is let me know: Bittersweet, (. Let & # x27 ; s recording took place from June 2012 through 2013 effect is more. To. & quot ; by Alfred Lord Tennyson sweet sorrow ( made famous by William ( made by... Oxymorons are often used poetically as a contradiction in terms & quot ; from. An idea, statement, or sarcasm fire Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Holy! Is used you have had Familarity refers to the ability of the Oxford English.! Or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark the. But nearly all of them are relevant to poetry in some rare cases however! Witty and show they can use words to predict audience familiarity and provide insights to! Very different meanings America 's largest Dictionary and get thousands more definitions advanced... Each other to create a deeper figurative meaning, statement, or sarcasm fresh meaning in a.. Romeo leaving her presence as sweet sorrow ( made famous by William American rapper Schoolboy Q s this...

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