contradiction



contradiction in terms

A phrase or expression that causes confusion because it contains words or ideas that contradict each other; an oxymoron. Jumbo shrimp is such a contradiction in terms.
See also: contradiction, term

contradiction in terms

a statement containing a seeming contradiction. A wealthy pauper is a contradiction in terms. A straight-talking politician may seem to be a contradiction in terms.
See also: contradiction, term

a contradiction in terms

a phrase that is confusing because it contains words that seem to have opposite meanings A British summer is a bit of a contradiction in terms. Euro Disney always seems to me a contradiction in terms because Disney is so typically American.
See also: contradiction, term

contradiction in terms

A statement that seems to contradict itself, with one part of it denying another. For example, I've always believed that "a poor millionaire" was a contradiction in terms. [Late 1700s]
See also: contradiction, term

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Andraste-Celtic Mythology
Firuza-Azerbaijani, Tajik, Uzbek
Driscoll['driskəl]
Tasia-Greek
Ines-Italian, Slovene, Croatian
ArtŪRas-Lithuanian