ANTONYM
ANTONYM. One of two WORDS or other expressions that have opposite meanings: fast and slow, hot and cold. Some words are antonymous in some contexts but not others: straight is generally the opposite of bent/curved, but is the antonym of gay in the context of homosexuality. Linguists identify three types of antonymy: (1) Gradable antonyms, which operate on a continuum: (very) big, (very) small. Such pairs often occur in binomial phrases with and: (blow) hot and cold, (search) high and low. (2) Complementary antonyms, which express an either/or relationship: dead or alive, male or female. (3) Converse or relational antonyms, expressing reciprocity: borrow or lend, buy or sell, wife or husband. See SEMANTICS, SYNONYM.
antonym
an·to·nym / ˈantəˌnim/ • n. Linguistics a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g., bad and good).DERIVATIVES: an·ton·y·mous / anˈtänəməs/ adj.
antonym
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WORD A fundamental term in both the general and technical discussion of language. The following selection of primary definitions of word is draw…
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