Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a figure of speech by which contradictory terms are joined together yet still resulting in meaning and relevance. For example, the phrase deafening silence and Shakespeare’s cruel to be kind each join two seeming contradictions together, yet both phrases still possess meaning and relevance. What many people do not know is that the word oxymoron itself is an oxymoron. Its etymology is the Greek oxymoros, which joins oxy meaning sharp or astute to moros meaning stupid, as in moron, which derives from the same source. The word oxymoron is first cited in English from c. 1650. In more modern times, oxymoron, loosely and wrongly, has come to mean a contradiction in terms, which is not its true meaning. This relatively new meaning is cited by the OED from 1902. It is thought that the suffix -moron and its connotations with stupidity are driving this trend, which means that the morons are winning. If this trend continues, the English language is in danger of losing a pertinent and meaningful figure of speech.