contranym

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UK/ˈkɒn.tɹə.nɪm/US/ˈkɑn.tɹə.nɪm/

A form of contronym — A word that has two opposing meanings, such as cleave (“stick together” or “split apart”).

Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nouncontranym (plural contranyms)

plural contranyms

  1. alternativeAlternative form of contronym.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
autoantonymenantiosemeself-antonym

Origin

By surface analysis, contra- + -nym; diachronically, coined in 1962 by Jack Herring as contronym from contr(a)- + -onym.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

contranym. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contranym

MLA

“contranym.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contranym. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “contranym,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contranym.

Source: contranym on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.