Is an oxymoron a oxymoron?

Is an oxymoron a oxymoron?

Oxymoron is sometimes used to describe a word combination that strikes the listener as humorously contradictory, even if the speaker didn’t intend it that way. The word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron; in Greek, oxy- means “sharp” or “wise,” while moros means “foolish.”

Where does the term oxymoron come from?

To get a sense of what the term oxymoron means, let’s consider its word origin. The first half of the word derives from the ancient Greek word “oxus,” meaning sharp. The second half of the word comes from the ancient Greek word “mōros,” meaning dull or foolish.

What is a simple definition of oxymoron?

An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeare’s line from Romeo and Juliet, “Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!”). A paradox is a statement or argument that seems to be contradictory or to go against common sense, but that is yet perhaps still true—for example, “less is more.”

What is the effect of an oxymoron?

The use of oxymorons creates a dramatic effect and forces the reader to stop and think about the complexity of an idea.

What is example of oxymoron?

The most common type of oxymoron is an adjective followed by a noun. One oxymoron example is “deafening silence,” which describes a silence that is so overpowering it almost feels deafening, or extremely loud—just as an actual sound would.

Which of the following is an oxymoron?

A common oxymoron is the phrase “the same difference.” This phrase qualifies as an oxymoron because the words “same” and “difference” have opposite meanings. Bringing them together into one phrase can produce a verbally puzzling, yet engaging, effect.

Is good trouble an oxymoron?

The title of the show, “Good Trouble,” might throw some off, for it is an interesting oxymoron. The title is derived from a quote that explains it is necessary to get in trouble in order to create change and to learn from one’s mistakes.

How do you use oxymoron in a sentence?

An oxymoron is a phrase that uses two contradictory or opposing terms, while an antithesis is a device that presents two contrasting ideas in a sentence (but not in the same phrase).

What is the origin of the word oxymoron?

The word oxymoron is in itself an oxymoron. It comes from the Ancient Greek word oxumoron, a compound of the words oxus, meaning “sharp” or “keen” and moros, meaning “dull” or “stupid.” Therefore it means something akin to wise foolishness.

What is an example of oxymoron in a sentence?

The word “oxymoron” is itself oxymoronic, which is to say contradictory. The word is derived from two ancient Greek words oxys, which means “sharp,” and moronos, which means “dull” or “stupid.”. Take this sentence, for example: “This was a minor crisis and the only choice was to drop the product line.”.

What is oxymoron in literary terms?

An oxymoron is a literary or rhetorical device in which two contradictory terms are used together for emphasis or poetic effect or to arrive at a unique meaning. A few of the most commonly cited ones are deafening silence, living dead, open secret, and controlled chaos.