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.

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 XIX. — F. antonyme, f. Gr. ANTI-, after synonyme SYNONYM.

antonym a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g. bad and good).