An oxymoron is a literary device combining oppositional words to create a unique word or phrase. https://www.thoughtco.com/awfully-good-examples-of-oxymorons-1691814 (accessed March 4, 2023). Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Writers and poets have used it for centuries as a literary device to describe life's inherent conflicts and incongruities. My play was a complete success. Generally, the ideas will come as two separate words placed side by side. "pointedly foolish," from oxys "sharp, pointed" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce") + mros "stupid" (see moron ). The word is said to be originated from the Greek words, oxy, meaning sharp, pointed and moron, moros that meant dull or foolish. A Comprehensive Guide. (2021, February 16). Also, this oxymoron is ironic in the context of a poem in which a funeral is the subject. A common oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." Season 1, Episode 1. Oxymoron is a figure of speech that uses two opposing words or contradictory words to convey a new idea. When you're ready to graduate from oxymorons to symbolism, enjoy these examples of symbolism in literature. Nordquist, Richard. Ask below and we'll reply! Note: All bold emphasis in the following quotations is my own. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Palindrome Examples: Words and Phrases That Are the Same Backwards and Forwards, The Most Confusing Rules in the Grammar World, Pangram Examples Every Word Lover Will Appreciate, Stock Your Spring Closet with 12 Dresses Under $100, More Than 300 Words Were Just Added to Dictionary.com, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The Sound of Silence: Song by Simon & Garfunkel, All your perfect imperfections: John Legend in his song All of Me, Clara Barton: I distinctly remember forgetting that., Isaac Bashevis Singer: We must believe in free will. Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples, Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech). A paradox is a term that presents a situation where two events seem unlikely to coexist. The suggestion is that after a year into high school or college, a sophomore might think they know everything there is to know, but really has a long way to go. Oxymoron definition: If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron , you mean that what it refers to combines two. However, as there are so many, you might not catch them all. (One, in particular, is in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, wherein combining things that contrast is an ongoing theme.) As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. "faith unfaithful", "falsely true" (Tennyson),[16] An oxymoron is a conjoined pair of (seemingly) contradictory terms, e.g.deafening silence, pretty ugly, same difference, silent scream, or jumbo shrimp. Oscar Wilde. 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). To separate the two, consider that a paradox is an event or a situation and an oxymoron is a figure of speech. Paradox is a literary device in which a statement or group of statements features initially contrasting ideas. For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. Smiles are rarely associated with pain. the word nascar is an oxymoron. Easy Examples of Oxymorons Act naturally Oxymorons is now more common in print than oxymora, but you'll find the latter listed in most dictionaries. Old news is an everyday example of an oxymoron, as news is meant to be current. Oxymorons have been used for millennia. Oxymorons present an ideal opportunity to be clever or funny. Delivered to your inbox! 309 likes. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, A damned saint, an honorable villain! Your writing, at its best However, a bone may seem juicy to a dog that is salivating at the thought of chewing it. This stanza, from Lord Tennysons retelling of the tale of King Arthur, usesseveral oxymorons for poetic effect and as a way to emphasize the conundrum that Lancelot, Arthurs most loyal knight and friend, finds himself in. Instead, it takes linguistic skill in knowing which words, though opposing, will work together to have an effect on the reader. The most common type of oxymoron is an adjective followed by a noun. O heavy lightness, serious vanity! They also occasionally work well with figurative language to compound the power behind certain words. n, -mor- / grammar a phrase or statement that seems to say two opposite things, as in " jumbo shrimp " and " agree to disagree " (Definition of oxymoron from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary Cambridge University Press) Examples of oxymoron oxymoron Slow and steady wins the race. And then an interesting thing happens with superette. Like a paradox, an oxymoron is whats known as a contradiction in terms, although oxymorons and paradoxes are two different things, as explained below. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Placing contrasting words next to each other makes each one stand out more, just like placing contrasting colors together. One example of a paradox is the following conflicting idea. You have been successfully subscribed to the Grammarly blog. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are certainly more than just a few. by William Shakespeare, wherein combining things that contrast is an ongoing theme.) tautology, noun : needless or meaningless repetition in close succession of an idea, statement, or word. When we learn about oxymorons, bittersweet is often one of the first words given as an example. This famous quotation from Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet contains an equally famous oxymoron. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These figures of speech can enhance a readers understanding of a concept, interpretation of a phrase, or enjoyment of language. Oxymoron of the Day Favorite Oxymoron Terms Calm Storm (Science) Casual Chic (Fashion) Cat fish (Science) Chili (Food) Terrific has positive connotations, as in wonderful or extraordinarily great. However, she lovingly anticipates seeing him again which is a pleasant feeling. Take a look at which ones you have used in conversation: "Saturday Night Live transcripts." Shellfish. "darkness visible" (Milton), With loads of learned lumber in his head . For example, if a character is described as a man child, this oxymoron calls up a humorous image of a child that looks like a man or vice-versa. )[10] or sopho-more (an artificial Greek compound, lit. Oxymorons are often used poetically as a way of bringing out a fresh meaning in a word or phrase. As rhetorical devices, oxymorons have been used in many different mediums from political speeches to novels to stage plays. This contradiction is also known as aparadox. The phrase original copyis a good illustration of an oxymoron. 1828 Words at Play Internal Conflict: The One-Word Oxymoron When a single word contains two conflicting ideas. Oxymorons are similar to such other devices as paradox and antithesis and are often used in poetry and other literature. An oxymoron is a consecutive set of words that have contradictory meanings. Seeing these oxymoron examples used in the context of sentences may provide a better idea of how and why they're used. Check out the oxymoron definition. Now that weve gone over what an oxymoron is, lets take a closer look at four famous oxymoron examples in sentences to better understand how this literary device actually works. With good, and bad, and worse, alike prolific, Too much of one sort would be soporific;. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective followed by a noun with contrasting meanings. insertListLink('', 1, 2, 'endfirsth2'). The Latin praeposterus literally means in the wrong order. The prefix prae- means in front of, before, and posterus means following or behind (as in posterior). Nordquist also notes that, "In speech, oxymorons can lend a sense of humor, irony, or sarcasm.". An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two seemingly contradictory or opposite ideas to create a certain rhetorical or poetic effect and reveal a deeper truth. PDF. pleonasm, noun : the coincident use of a word and its substitute for the same grammatical function. She feels sadness knowing she must say good night to Romeo. Jane Austen, Emma, 1815. What Is the Figure of Speech Antiphrasis? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. oxymoron, noun : a combination for epigrammatic effect of contradictory or incongruous words. For even more examples of oxymorons in sentences, take a look at these examples of funny oxymoron quotes. It might sound like a schoolyard insult, but its not. 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. Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. 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 . This contradiction is also known as a paradox. 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. They're not always small, and the word doesn't mean small in this sense. Generally, an oxymoron phrase is a . Learn all about effective imageryandwhat personification is with our expert guides. There are some well-known phrases and quotations that make use of oxymorons. Their dramatic effect is much more powerful with sparing use. However, others can be intentional: For instance, in the phrase deafening silence, the seeming contradiction only serves to emphasize the intensity of the silence. doug lamborn voting record June 23, 2022 the word nascar is an oxymoron This next oxymoron example is about Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot's tragic love affair. Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. For example, oxymoron phrases such as marital bliss, military intelligence,andbusiness ethics,depending on how they are used as figures of speech, can be effective literary devices to indicate irony. A crisis is defined as a time of serious difficulty or importance. It makes more sense when you read the thrift in spendthrift as a noun that can refer to the savings that one has accumulated through the careful management of money. The word oxymoron is an ancient Greek word, which translates most closely to something like sharply dull or cleverly stupid. In other words, the oxymoron definition is itself an oxymoron. He was very warmly thanked both by mother and daughter; to escape a little from the latter, he went to the pianoforte, and begged Miss Fairfax, who was still sitting at it, to play something more. If this statement is indeed false as it says, then this would actually make it true. Late Greek oxymron, from neuter of oxymros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mros foolish. However, the explicit advertisement of the use of oxymorons opened up a sliding scale of less than obvious construction, ending in the "opinion oxymorons" such as "business ethics". June 3, 2022 . and 2023 LoveToKnow Media. "100 Awfully Good Examples of Oxymorons." the word nascar is an oxymoron the word nascar is an oxymoron. "Oxymoron" is Greek for "sharply dull," so the word is itself an oxymoron. up next, we take a look at oxymoron examples in sentences from literature and pop culture. affordable home builders cape coral, fl. Oxymoron Definitions The dictionary definition of oxymoron is:- A rhetorical figure of speech in which contradictory terms are paired, for example, alone together, current history or boneless ribs. 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. This combination of contrary or antithetical words is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms. The word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron; in Greek, oxy- means "sharp" or "wise," while moros means "foolish." Is an oxymoron always 2 words? All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Feel free to look throughthis vast list of oxymoron examplesif youre in need of an oxymoron for something you're writing or if you simply want tolearn some of the most commonones. In this poem, Auden utilizes the oxymoron juicy bone. Of course, a bone is generally considered dry and the opposite of juicy. This is a pairing of opposing words that contradict each other. You can find her byline on pieces about grammar, fun facts, the meanings of various head-scratching words and phrases, and more. the word nascar is an oxymoron mars 15, 2021 by 0 Comments 0 View. oxymoron definition: 1. two words or phrases used together that have, or seem to have, opposite meanings: 2. two words. The distinction between the two is clear (now). Despite what it might sound like, noan oxymoron isnt something you can call your little brother when hes bugging you. However, if you think too hard about the meaning, you'll realize that on the surface it doesn't quite make sense. All rights reserved. Instead, they want to be witty and show they can use words to make people laugh. All Rights Reserved. If something is original,then it is not a copy. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? In cuisine, it describes things like dark chocolate, which is thought of as sweet but in reality contains little sugar, so has a sharper taste than regular chocolate. A simpler meaning would be that, it is a set of consecutive words that express conflicting meanings. Learn a new word every day. Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday expression: insertListLink('', 2, 2, 'shortexamples'). Nordquist, Richard. An oxymoron is a figure of speech, usually one or two words, in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. Think jumbo shrimp. And, of course, plenty of people use oxymorons intentionally for humorous effect. O loving hate!"). The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. Yes. Oxymorons are a favorite literary device of poets, particularly when they express complex feelings such as love and desire. O anything of nothing first create! One of the most famous examples of the use of oxymorons is the following speech by Romeo from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:
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