Whats it called when something is called the opposite of what it is?
A word that means the opposite of some specific concept is an antonym. By analogy with anonymity, the state of being an antonym is antonymity*.
What is the etymology of opposite?
late 14c., “placed or situated on the other side of (something),” from Old French opposite, oposite “opposite, contrary” (13c.), from Latin oppositus “standing against, opposed, opposite,” past participle of opponere “set against,” from assimilated form of ob “in front of, in the way of” (see ob-) + ponere “to put, set …
What words have two opposite meanings?
An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two apparently contradictory terms appear together. Examples include a deafening silence, harmonious discord, an open secret, and the living dead. See other Vocabulary Questions.
What are examples of Contronyms?
75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)
- Apology: A statement of contrition for an action, or a defense of one.
- Aught: All, or nothing.
- Bill: A payment, or an invoice for payment.
- Bolt: To secure, or to flee.
- Bound: Heading to a destination, or restrained from movement.
- Buckle: To connect, or to break or collapse.
What is it called when you show no emotion?
having or showing little or no emotion: apathetic behavior. not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive: an apathetic audience.
What is it called when you say something but don’t mean it literally?
An Idiom is a phrase that does not mean what it literally implies. Although we, as Americans, may clearly understand what the writer using an idiom is trying to convey, a reader from another culture most likely would have no idea what is being said.
Which is opposite word?
Definitions of opposite word. a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other. synonyms: antonym, opposite.
What is the word for opposite meaning?
antonym
antonym. nounword with opposite meaning to another word.
Why does cleave have opposite meanings?
“Cleave,” meaning ‘to cling to or adhere,’ comes from an Old English word that took the forms cleofian, clifian, or clīfan. “Cleave,” with the contrary meaning ‘to split or sever (something), ‘ as you might do with a cleaver, comes from a different Old English word, clēofan.
What is the opposite of contronym?
An auto-antonym or autantonym, also called a contronym or antagonym among other terms, is a word with multiple meanings (senses) of which one is the reverse of another. This phenomenon is called enantiosemy, enantionymy (enantio- means “opposite”), antilogy or autantonymy.
What is an example of a Janus word?
Among the most commonly encountered Janus words are cleave, hew, and sanction. For example, one can be said to cleave a block of wood, meaning to split it, or to cleave to one’s principles, meaning to cling to them. Hew is almost synonymous in both senses.