oxymorus

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

  1. 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:
    • 63 BCE, Cicero, Catiline Orations‎[1]:
      . 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.

singular plural
masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
nominative oxymōrus oxymōra oxymōrum oxymōrī oxymōrae oxymōra
genitive oxymōrī oxymōrae oxymōrī oxymōrōrum oxymōrārum oxymōrōrum
dative oxymōrō oxymōrae oxymōrō oxymōrīs
accusative oxymōrum oxymōram oxymōrum oxymōrōs oxymōrās oxymōra
ablative oxymōrō oxymōrā oxymōrō oxymōrīs
vocative oxymōre oxymōra oxymōrum oxymōrī oxymōrae oxymōra

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.
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