Dictionary

contronym en · NOUN

Etymology

From contr(a)- + -onym. Coined 1962 by Jack Herring. Note that the vowel of the suffix generally supersedes the vowel of the prefix, hence coined as contronym, rather than contranym.

Meanings

1. A word that has two opposing meanings, such as cleave (“stick together” or “split apart”).
   • Near-synonym: enantioseme

Forms

Deriveds

contronymic · contronymous

Hypernyms

word · term · seme

Relateds

double negative · enantiosemy · contronymy · contranym · contranymy · contranymic · skunked term

Synonyms

Janus word · autoantonym · antagonym · enantioseme

Translations (17)

de Antagonym (a word that has two opposing meanings) · de Kontranym (a word that has two opposing meanings) · es contránimo (a word that has two opposing meanings) · fi kontranyymi (a word that has two opposing meanings) · pl autoantonim (a word that has two opposing meanings) · sv kontronym (a word that has two opposing meanings) · es contrónimo (a word that has two opposing meanings) · de Januswort (a word that has two opposing meanings) · de Autoantonym (a word that has two opposing meanings) · es autoantónimo (a word that has two opposing meanings) · ar أَضْدَاد (a word that has two opposing meanings) · pl kontranim (a word that has two opposing meanings) · hu antagonima (a word that has two opposing meanings) · hu kontronima (a word that has two opposing meanings) · fr énantiosème (a word that has two opposing meanings) · sv autoantonym (a word that has two opposing meanings) · ca autoantònim (a word that has two opposing meanings)