Definition of JUXTAPOSES

Is juxtapose a Back-formation?

A back-formation is a word that has come about through the removal of a prefix or a suffix from a longer word. Etymologists think juxtapose is a back-formation that was created when people trimmed down the noun juxtaposition. Historical evidence supports the idea: juxtaposition was showing up in English documents as early as 1654, but juxtapose didn't appear until 1851. Juxtaposition is itself thought to be a combination of Latin juxta, meaning "near," and English position.

Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence

a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art

Recent Examples on the Web

In a new ad from the National Republican Congressional Committee, lyrics from Delgado’s rap career are juxtaposed against clips from his recent campaign ads. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "A black candidate made a rap album. His white opponent says it makes him unfit for Congress.," 12 Sep. 2018 The result is a combustible blend, both sweet and smoky, that juxtaposes the spirit of the Americas with a label that’s 100 percent made in Italy. — Erik Maza, Town & Country, "Can Liqueurs Be the Next Big Thing in Food-Cocktail Pairings?," 14 Jan. 2019 The British composer ingeniously juxtaposed nine poems of Wilfred Owen, a disillusioned enlisted officer killed in the final days of World War I, with the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead. — Barbara Jepson, WSJ, "Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ Review: Mixing Sacred and Secular," 30 Nov. 2018 Another sequence juxtaposes a Himmler speech about annihilating the past with a Jewish community in hiding celebrating a Bar Mitzvah, with all its attendant ceremony and history. — Samantha Nelson, The Verge, "Season 3 of The Man in the High Castle doubles down on science fiction — and stumbles," 27 Sep. 2018 Bernstein juxtaposes a Street Chorus of disaffected people (the jeans and T-shirt crowd) with a formal chorus in robes and a boys’ choir. — New York Times, "Is ‘Mass’ Leonard Bernstein’s Best Work, or His Worst?," 13 July 2018 Rodriguez, a Spanish emcee who rose to fame in the ‘90s, often juxtaposes femininity with tough backgrounds. — Jessica Lipsky, Billboard, "Latin Women Take The Reins: Insights From the Latin Alternative Music Conference," 13 July 2018 Riley juxtaposes the din of Cash’s garage dwelling with both his new apartment and, more importantly, Lift’s luxe mansion. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "Sorry to Bother You Has an Eerily Familiar Villain," 10 July 2018 Set on a cramped train rattling across the subcontinent, Darjeeling juxtaposes the claustrophobia of travel against the backdrop of Rajasthan's vast open spaces. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The 45 Best Travel Films of All Time," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'juxtapose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.