Did you know that the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron?
The word means “a figure conjoining words or terms apparently contradictory so as to give point to the statement or expression,” such as “a little big”, “pretty ugly,” “deafening silence,” and so on. As a writer, I love a good oxymoron–fresh ones can add an unexpected twist to the narrative and hence paint the picture with color.
But we may not all realize that the word, in Latin, is oxy, “sharp” + moron, “stupid.” Literally “smart/stupid.” Funny, huh?
Oxymoron appeared in English around 1650 with that meaning and hasn’t changed over time. Still fun to say, fun to use, and fun to realize is an example of itself. 😉
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.