Definitions
Wiktionary
- n. A word that has two opposing meanings, such as "cleave" (“come together” or “split apart”).
Examples
“But as I read about these contentious beasts, the thing that interested me the most was the great variety of synonyms for the word contranym itself.”
Rambles at starchamber.com » Blog Archive » Self-contradictory words
“So a contranym is a word which means its opposite.”
“Incredible does not even function as a viable contranym, although nowadays there are plenty of people who seem to feel that it does.”
“A contranym, sometimes called a “Janus word,” can take on either of two opposite meanings.”
Rambles at starchamber.com » Blog Archive » Self-contradictory words
“Since then, I've been pondering the contranym that silence is and the distinctions among its meanings.”
“In honor of Old Twoface, today’s special word is “contranym.””
Rambles at starchamber.com » Blog Archive » Self-contradictory words
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘contranym’.
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Word Words
This used to be my nym list, but there are so many words about words, I think it's time to expand and open.
acronym, antonym, aptronym, autoantonym, autonym, bacronym, capitonym, contranym, contronym, eponym, exonym, heteronym and 120 more...
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Wordplay & Pun
wordplay, pound, conceit, clinch, joke, quibble, equivoque, double-entendre, quillet, calembour, carriwitchet, paranomasia and 89 more...
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Words about Words
backronym, contranym, haplology, enallage, paronomasia, omniana, scripturient, ambigram, idioglossia, dysphemism, tmesis, panvocalic and 6 more...
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[Open] Words about Words
Pachysandra also has an open “Words about Words” list.* (There are over a dozen other identically named lists, but they’re all closed.)
* Dear Wordnik: Please alert users when they’r...
vitrhi a word that can mean the opposite of itself such as
clip - attach to
clip - cut off from Jun 9, 2009
mialuthien Same as autoantonym. Jul 18, 2008
whichbe A contranym, sometimes called a "Janus word," can take on either of two opposite meanings. I made a list of my 'favorrite' ones here. May 14, 2008
cathari What, you mean "transparent" used to mean "someone can easily see how this works"? I would say it has a toehold on contranymity, as a non-opaque item would be harder to see and understand than an opaque one. Oct 30, 2007
slumry And what about transparent, as in user transparent? Not quite a contranym, yet peculiar to me, a non-technical person. (I am, however, technically a person) Jun 20, 2007
slumry cleave
sanction Jun 20, 2007