oxymoron

ox·y·mo·ron

noun \ˌäk-sē-ˈmȯr-ˌän\

plural ox·y·mo·rons also ox·y·mo·ra\-ˈmȯr-ə\

Definition of OXYMORON

: a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (as cruel kindness); broadly : something (as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements

— ox·y·mo·ron·ic\-mə-ˈrä-nik, -mȯ-\ adjective

— ox·y·mo·ron·i·cal·ly\-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of OXYMORON

1. The phrase “cruel kindness” is an oxymoron.

Origin of OXYMORON

Late Greek oxymōron, from neuter of oxymōros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mōros foolish

First Known Use: 1657

Rhymes with OXYMORON

abutilon, Agamemnon, anticodon, antiproton, archenteron, arrière-ban, asyndeton, automaton, Azerbaijan, Bellerophon, bildungsroman, carrying-on, diazinon, dodecagon, emoticon, encephalon, get a move on, himation, interferon, kakiemon, keep an eye on, Laocoön, mesenteron, Michoacán, millimicron, phenomenon, protozoon, pteranodon, put the arm on, put the make on, rear echelon, Rostov-on-Don, Saskatchewan, septentrion, set one's heart on, set one's sights on, sine qua non, steal a march on, take it out on, Taklimakan, turn one's back on, Vientiane, wipe one's boots on, zero coupon, zooplankton

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