Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Word Origins forty-four. The word origin today is oxymoron. Remember, we use this in English to mean a word that has a word or a term that actually has kind of opposing meanings together or used together. So let's look at the note here. So an oxymoron is a term that contains two opposing words that don't seem to belong together. When you hear them they feel like they they should almost be like you know, turning a magnet around when it repels each other. Yet they are used together to have a particular meaning. So sometimes you point it out when you get a combination of words together they have a meaning by itself, but they don't look like they belong together because they are kind of opposites. So it really strikes you when you see them. All right. So let's continue here. The origin of the term oxymoron comes from a Greek word oxymoros. Okay. Which means pointedly foolish. \"Oxy 'you know , at the beginning of the word , oxy moros can mean sharp or keen. You know sharp or keen. Moros can mean dull stupid or foolish. Okay. So let's continue. In this sense, oxymoron has two opposing meanings. Yes. So oxymoron the word itself is an oxymoron. Almost in two ways. Let's continue. One is pointy or sharp. So 'oxy' can mean pointy or sharp. compared to dull that is not sharp. So that's one way that oxymoron is an oxymoron. it also has sharp or keen ...remember we use sharp ... somebody who's sharp is smart. They are quick they learn quickly. Keen also usually means that you're skilled or talented or especially smart. Which suggests one is smart and alert. Opposed to meaning dull and stupid. So again the word oxymoron ... the origin of it, the two separate parts of it is kind of an oxymoron in two ways. In two ways it has opposing meanings together. All right , and here's just some examples of our typical oxymorons when we see them . Bittersweet this is one I often use as an example. We could say like a bittersweet victory. I think we used to talk about the Williams sisters. I think there was a couple of times where they played each other for the championship. So whoever wins you think , well it's a bittersweet victory. So it's a sweet of course because you won, but a little bitter because you beat your sister. So in order for you to win, your sister had to lose. So in this sense it's kind of a bitter sweet victory. That's the way we would use that or a true myth. Well remember a lot of myths... well you know, myth is used in a couple of different ways. It's used about the old Greek and Roman myths which were not completely sure whether there is truth or how much truth there is to them. But myth is also used to be an idea that a lot of people believe but that you know, at least some people think is false. So if you say true myth. Well yes it could go together maybe this particular myth really is true. So again, it's an oxymoron truth and myth. Myth is usually something that is not correct or not true. Freezer burn , All right. We do know freezer burn. It's a real thing. Anybody who ever had ice cream in the freezer for like a year or something or way too long, and I guess some of the the cold seeped into the ice cream. And when you open it up it's got frost on top. That's called freezer burn. So the ice cream can get freezer burn, but yet it is an oxymoron here you got freezer with something's really cold, Burn of course it's hot so you have a freezer burn. Old news yes well you know all those it could be old and you know something new together but there is such a thing as old news. Okay, Jumbo shrimp that's one I often hear come up. Jumbo of course always means something that's very, very large. Shrimp was always something that's very, very small. So in this sense it is an oxymoron but it's a it's a real thing. You can have jumbo shrimp. A deafening silence well if something is a deafening silence , it means somebody a lot of people are silent about something but they should be screaming about it. They should be loud So in that sense, it's a deafening silence. So these are real things. These are real terms that have put together with words that seem to oppose each other. That don't seem like they should ever go together. Anyway, I hope you got it . I hope it's clear. Thank you for your time. Bye= bye.
B1 US freezer sharp myth burn opposing keen English Tutor Nick P Word Origins (44) Oxymoron 12 1 anitawu12 posted on 2019/05/17 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary