Definition
A figure of speech that combines contradictory or opposing terms to create a paradoxical expression. This device highlights complexity or creates emphasis through the tension between conflicting concepts.
Etymology
From Greek 'oxymoros' meaning 'pointedly foolish,' combining 'oxys' (sharp, keen) and 'moros' (foolish). The term itself is an oxymoron, as it pairs 'sharp' with 'dull,' reflecting the device's inherent contradiction.
Kelly Says
Oxymorons capture life's contradictions in just two words—'deafening silence,' 'organized chaos,' 'cruel kindness'! Shakespeare loved them because they mirror human complexity: Juliet's 'beautiful tyrant' and 'fiend angelical' show how love creates impossible, contradictory feelings that regular language can't express.
Translations
ARالعربية
متناقض
mutanāqiza
BNবাংলা
বিরোধাভাস
birodhābhās
CACatalà
oxímoron
/ɔksiˈmɔrɔn/
CSČeština
oxymoron
/ɔksɪˈmɔrɔn/
DADansk
oxymoron
/ɔksʏˈmoːʁɔn/
DEDeutsch
Oxymoron
/ɔksʏˈmoːʁɔn/
ELΕλληνικά
οξύμωρο
oxýmōro
ESEspañol
oxímoron
oksímon
FAفارسی
همنشینی
hamnešīnī
FISuomi
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
FRFrançais
oxymore
/ɔksimɔʁ/
GUGU
વિરોધાભાસ
virodhābhās
HAHA
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
HEעברית
אוקסימורון
oksímorōn
HIहिन्दी
विरोधाभास
virodhābhās
HUMagyar
oximoron
/ɔksiˈmɔrɔn/
IDBahasa Indonesia
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
IGIG
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
ITItaliano
ossimoro
/ɔsˈsiːmoro/
KKKK
оксіморон
/ɔksɪˈmɔrɔn/
MRMR
विरोधाभास
virodhābhās
MSBahasa Melayu
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
MYမြန်မာ
ဆန့်ကျင်မှု
sʰæ̃ʔ tɕʰɪ́ɰ̃ m̥ù
NLNederlands
oxymoron
/ɔksɪˈmoːrɔn/
NONorsk
oksymoron
/ɔksʏˈmɔrɔn/
PAPA
ਵਿਰੋਧਾਭਾਸ
virodhābhās
PLPolski
oksymoron
/ɔksɨˈmɔrɔn/
PTPortuguês
oximoro
/ɔʃiˈmoɾu/
RORomână
oximoron
/oksimoˈron/
RUРусский
оксímорон
/ɐksʲɪˈmorɐn/
SVSvenska
oxymoron
/ɔksʏˈmoːrɔn/
SWKiswahili
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
TAதமிழ்
முரண்பாடு
muraṇpāṭu
TEతెలుగు
వైరుధ్యం
vairudhyaṁ
THไทย
คำขัดแย้ง
kham khat yaeng
TLTL
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
TRTürkçe
çelişki
/t͡ʃeˈliʃci/
UKУкраїнська
оксіморон
/ɔksʲiˈmɔrɔn/
VITiếng Việt
mâu thuẫn
/maʊ˧˧ tʰuɜn˧˧/
YOYO
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/
ZUZU
oksimoron
/ɔksimɔrɔn/