sassynyc
Fine and Mellow
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2007
- Posts
- 1,335
ox·y·mo·ron
Pronunciation: \ˌäk-sē-ˈmȯr-ˌän\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural ox·y·mo·rons also ox·y·mo·ra \-ˈmȯr-ə\
Etymology: Late Greek oxymōron, from neuter of oxymōros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mōros foolish
Date: 1657
: 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
I enjoy the use of wordplay when I write, and appreciate it when I notice it in something I've read. Oxymorons are one of my favorite examples of wordplay, whether it's incidental or deliberate. I've found that using them in my own writing, as well as noticing it in others, helps keep me sharp.
Here's a place to flex your verbal muscles and possibly inspire some poetry for the other threads. You can use the oxymoron alone or in a sentence, to clarify the term. Put on your thinking caps, and have fun!
Pronunciation: \ˌäk-sē-ˈmȯr-ˌän\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural ox·y·mo·rons also ox·y·mo·ra \-ˈmȯr-ə\
Etymology: Late Greek oxymōron, from neuter of oxymōros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mōros foolish
Date: 1657
: 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
~ Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
I enjoy the use of wordplay when I write, and appreciate it when I notice it in something I've read. Oxymorons are one of my favorite examples of wordplay, whether it's incidental or deliberate. I've found that using them in my own writing, as well as noticing it in others, helps keep me sharp.
Here's a place to flex your verbal muscles and possibly inspire some poetry for the other threads. You can use the oxymoron alone or in a sentence, to clarify the term. Put on your thinking caps, and have fun!
