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

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ok.syˈmoː.rus/, [ɔks̠ʏˈmoːrʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ok.siˈmo.rus/, [oksiˈmɔːrus]

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

• Commentary on the Aeniad of Virgil, Serv. A. 7.295 by M. Servius Honoratius, fl. circa 488

"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.