contronym
noun
con·tro·nym
ˈkän-trə-ˌnim 
variants
or contranym
plural contronyms or contranyms
: a word having two meanings that contradict one another
Sometimes, just to heighten the confusion, the same word ends up with contradictory meanings. This kind of word is called a contronym. Sanction, for instance, can either signify permission to do something or a measure forbidding it to be done. Cleave can mean cut in half or stick together. A sanguine person is either hotheaded and bloodthirsty or calm and cheerful. Something that is fast is either stuck firmly or moving quickly.—
Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue, 1990
Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue, 1990called also antagonym, autoantonym, Janus word
Dictionary Entries Near contronym
Cite this Entry
“Contronym.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contronym. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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