Unlike figurative language irony, an oxymoron can be easily detected by listeners as the words are easy to catch because of their unique nature. You'll find common figures of speech, plus references to works of classic and pop culture. The contradiction contained within the oxymoron "scalding coolness" emphasizes the couple's conflicting emotions and impossible situation. Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. Oxymoron is an effective literary device. Oxymorons are not meant to be taken literally. Be sure to consider context, and connotation in addition to readability when choosing an alternatitive word. "Parting is such sweet sorrow ." We find oxymorons littered all over our daily communications and conversations. Simile. 2023 ALLSCRABBLEWORDS.com. The word "oxymoron" is derived from Greek a combination of oxy- meaning keen or sharp and -mrs meaning dull or foolish. However, with applied thought, paradoxes make sense. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. adjective form vs the noun form). Such a phrase shows that an object can have two different qualities at once, making it a subject for study and analysis. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are certainly more than just a few. For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. If you're learning English as a second language, you might be confused by these figures of speech. An oxymoron combines two contradictory words to give them a deeper and more poetic meaning. Oxymoron is made up of two words that are Greek to me. This phrase qualifies as an oxymoron because the words "same" and "difference" have opposite meanings. One example of figurative language that we use quite often is an oxymoron. Are you still searching for the perfect oxymoron? There are several examples in Romeo and Juliet, like the following quotes. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/awfully-good-examples-of-oxymorons-1691814. If something is original,then it is not a copy. Oxymorons in Romeo and Juliet. and William Shakespeare was known to sprinkle them throughout his plays, poems, and sonnets. [Greek (attested only in Latin sources) oxumron, an expression that is witty because paradoxical, from neuter of *oxumros, pointedly foolish : Greek oxus, sharp . Oh my God, you have Cabbage Patch! Late Greek oxymron, from neuter of oxymros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mros foolish. We found a total of 35 words by unscrambling the letters in oxymoron. Salinger uses an oxymoron in this quote by Holden Caulfield, the narrator of the novel. When someone says a phrase such as "clearly confused," the speaker is finding a new way to describe that individual or object. Like a paradox, an oxymoron is what's known as a "contradiction in terms," although oxymorons and paradoxes are two different things, as explained below. [+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples oxymoronic Too many uses of oxymoron can be either distracting or tedious for the reader. Learn how to use the easiest words finder here. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. The word 'Oxymoron' is originally derived from the Greek elements: oxy = sharp and moros (moron) = dull (foolish). However, an oxymoron is more specific than a contradiction in terms: it must be crafted intentionally in order to suggest that two contradictory ideas go together because their unlikely combination reveals a deeper truth. Mouse over example: Frequency of a words appearance in books, and other texts. An oxymoron is a phrase that sounds as if it is contradictory. ThoughtCo. Shakespeare has purposefully created this contradiction to capture the deeper truth of the simultaneous pain and joy of departing from a loved onehe's trying to communicate that being separated from your beloved is painful and yet, precisely because it's painful, parting reminds you of your love and joy. Oxymoron Examples in Literature and Songs. Oxymoron is a Scrabble word. Oxymoron Quotes. This contradiction creates a paradoxical image in the reader or listener's mind that generates a new concept or meaning for the whole. The word is derived from two ancient Greek words: oxys, which means "sharp," and moronos, which means "dull" or "stupid." For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. An oxymoron term is a literary figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory words, phrases, terms or ideas Oxymorons are often used poetically as a way of bringing out a fresh meaning in a word or phrase. Definitions Definitions of each word are generating using the Pearson's developer API. Analyzes words to predict audience familiarity and provide insights as to how the use of the word may affect readability metrics. This contradiction is also known as a paradox. Banksy, Wall and Piece. Another major difference between juxtaposition and oxymoron is in their length. This site is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Read on to find out how oxymoron is distinct from each of these terms. Accessed 1 Mar. Dec 17, 2020 at 0:28. - Ram Pillai. For example, just pairing any two words that are contradictory wont make for an effective oxymoron. Paraphrasing, pronunciation, and free grammar tools. MyEnglishClub.com - eQuiz.Me - Tefl.NET, 1997-2023 EnglishClub.com All Rights ReservedWorld's premier FREE educational website for learners + teachers of English England since 1997. We see that two things that shouldn't exist together do, in fact . 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. genuine imitation. Words with Friends is a trademark of Zynga. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Oxymoronically is the adverbial form of the word. This is especially achieved if the word pairing reveals intensity or a great difference in quality. An oxymoron is a rhetorical device in which seemingly contradictory or incongruous terms appear in conjunction with each other. In this case, the oxymorons "bookful blockhead" and "learned lumber" add humor and spice to Pope's writing. a stylistic device combining contradictory words to form a new semantic entity, for example, "sorrowful joy" (S. A. Esenin). 4. If one or more words can be unscrambled with all the letters entered plus one new letter, then they will also be displayed. An oxymoron (plurals: oxymorons and oxymora) is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word or in a phrase that is a self-contradiction.As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. A paradox is a rhetorical device or a self-contradictory statement that can actually be true. will bring you to a list of words spelled with _a-z_. It's really interesting to see how this figure of speech finds its way into everyday communication. Is this the tiny town from Footloose? Nordquist, Richard. One example of a skillful oxymoron isreal fake. In an oxymoron, the words themselves have a shade of contradiction in their definitions. However, its important that writers dont overuse oxymoron as a literary device. Paradox is a literary device in which a statement or group of statements features initially contrasting ideas. Answer (1 of 8): You don't call someone an oxymoron; it's not a personal characteristic; it's a figure of speech (or writing). When a single word contains two conflicting ideas. Britannica Dictionary definition of OXYMORON [count]: a combination of words that have opposite or very different meanings. In speech, oxymorons can lend a sense of humor, irony, or sarcasm. FAQs on Oxymoron. The following example is from Alexander Pope's poem, "Essay on Criticism": The bookful blockhead ignorantly read, With loads of learned lumber in his head, With his own tongue still edifies his ears, And always listning to himself appears. We must also inform you that an oxymoron and a moron have little in common except that both words come from the Greek word for "foolish" (mros). ra (-mr) A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist. Oxymoron is often confused with other related terms, such as "contradiction in terms," "paradox," and "antonym." 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. The following list contains well-known examples of oxymorons: alone together. Paul Simon wrote the song The Sounds of Silence about the difficulty people have in communicating with one another, but the lyrics were later interpreted as a reference to the Vietnam War (a war that many would say was full of contradictions): Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence. parting is such sweet sorrow. I believe work should be fun, and you try to crush peoples spirits. But once you become fluent in English, it's easy to recognize such oxymorons for the figures of speech that they are. Teachers and parents! Here's a good one: Literary Devices | Literary Terms. "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. Oxymoronic is the adjectival form of oxymoron. Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples, Brief Introductions to Common Figures of Speech, Figures of Speech: The Apostrophe as a Literary Device, Definition and Examples of Dialectic in Rhetoric, Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech). Barking is a word that indicates sound. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. oxymoron, noun : a combination for epigrammatic effect of contradictory or incongruous words. Here is a comprehensive list of 64 examples of oxymorons in sentences. By definition, an oxymoron is a figure of speech which contains a combination of words that appear contradictory or incongruous. Oxymoron. My brother used to have one of these, his name was Cedric. Without, or with, offence to friends or foes. . As well as playing with oxymorons, Oscar Wilde was also a master of symbolism. As with other rhetorical devices, oxymorons are used for a variety of purposes. Learn a new word every day. 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