oxymoron

ox·y·mo·ron  (ks-môrn, -mr-)

n. pl. ox·y·mo·ra (-môr, -mr) or ox·y·mo·rons

A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist.

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[Greek oxumron, from neuter of oxumros, pointedly foolish : oxus, sharp; see oxygen + mros, foolish, dull.]

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oxy·mo·ronic (-m-rnk) adj.

oxy·mo·roni·cal·ly adv.

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oxymoron [ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn]

n pl -mora [-ˈmɔːrə]

(Literary & Literary Critical Terms) Rhetoric an epigrammatic effect, by which contradictory terms are used in conjunction living death fiend angelical

[via New Latin from Greek oxumōron, from oxus sharp + mōros stupid]

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oxymoron

a rhetorical device or figure of speech in which contradictory or opposite words or concepts are combined for effect. — oxymoronic, adj.

See also: Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

oxymoron - conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence') figure of speech, trope, image, figure - language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense

Translations

oxymoron [ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn] N (oxymora (pl)) [ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrə] → oxímoron m

oxymoron [ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn] n → oxymore m

oxymoron

n → Oxymoron nt