Електронний багатомовний

термінологічний словник

Electronic Multilingual Terminological Dictionary


Linguistics

Oxymoron

Figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory ideas or terms are combined.

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 they usually make sense in context. An oxymoron is a literary device that juxtaposes contradictory terms. Oxymorons are often used poetically to bring out a new meaning in a word or phrase.
The word oxymoron is an ancient Greek word that translates most closely to something like “sharply dull” or “cleverly stupid.” In other words, the oxymoron definition is itself an oxymoron. Oxymorons have been used for millennia. More than a few have even become commonplace expressions in modern-day English, such as these oxymoron examples:
accurate estimate
alone together
awfully good
bittersweet
climb down
close distance
virtual reality [Grammarly].

Sources:

What Is an Oxymoron? Definition and Examples. Grammarly. Retrieved from: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/oxymoron/

Part of speech Noun
Countable/uncountable Countable
Type Abstract
Gender Neutral
Case Nominative