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oxymorus. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
oxymorus, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
oxymorus in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
oxymorus you have here. The definition of the word
oxymorus will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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Latin
Etymology
First attested in the 5th century, from Ancient Greek ὀξύμωρος (oxúmōros), from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp, keen”) + μωρός (mōrós, “dull, stupid”)
Pronunciation
Adjective
oxymōrus (feminine oxymōra, neuter oxymōrum); first/second-declension adjective
- oxymoronic; of or pertaining to a figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect, as in the following:
- . Cic. Catil. 1.8.21
- de te autem, Catilina, cum quiescunt, probant, cum patiuntur, decernunt, cum tacent, clamant.
- But to you, Catiline, by keeping quiet they approve, by allowing me to speak they vote, by their silence they shout out loud.
Declension
First/second-declension adjective.
Quotations
- "capti potvere capi cum felle dictum est: nam si hoc removeas, erit oxymorum."
References
- “oxymorus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- oxymorus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.