Antonymy


a word opposite in meaning to another. fast is an antonym of slow.
compare (def 1).
noun
a word that means the opposite of another word: “empty” is an antonym of “full”
n.

1867, coined to serve as opposite of synonym, from greek anti- “equal to, instead of, opposite” (see anti-) + -onym “name” (see name (n.)). perhaps introduced to english in the book “synonyms and antonyms” (1867) by the ven. c.j. smith, m.a.

under the head of synonyms and antonyms, archdeacon smith arranges words which form an ant-thesis to one another. the word “antonym” is, we believe, a new formation but useful. [“journal of sacred literature,” july 1867]

french antonyme (1842), german antonym (by 1859) are older. the un-greek alternative counterterm has been left to fade.

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  • Antothite

    antothite an inhabitant of anathoth, found only in 1 chr. 11:28; 12:3. in 2 sam. 23:27 it is anethothite; in 1 chr. 27:12, anetothite. (r.v., “anathothite.”)

  • Antrum

    a cavity in a body organ, especially a bone. historical examples the antrum pyloric-m is small and not very distinctly marked. encyclopaedia britannica, 11th edition, volume 13, slice 6 various we found that the tumor did extend from the antrum, into which i could bore my finger easily. new, old, and forgotten remedies: papers by […]

  • Antra

    a cavity in a body organ, especially a bone. noun (pl) -tra (-trə) (anatomy) a natural cavity, hollow, or sinus, esp in a bone n. “a cave or cavity,” late 14c., medical latin, from greek antron “cave.” antrum an·trum (ān’trəm) n. pl. an·tra (-trə) a nearly closed cavity or chamber, especially in a bone. the […]

  • Antral

    a cavity in a body organ, especially a bone. noun (pl) -tra (-trə) (anatomy) a natural cavity, hollow, or sinus, esp in a bone n. “a cave or cavity,” late 14c., medical latin, from greek antron “cave.” antrum an·trum (ān’trəm) n. pl. an·tra (-trə) a nearly closed cavity or chamber, especially in a bone. the […]

  • Antre

    a cavern; cave. historical examples note the ant-thesis in the same line, antre de rois, louvre de voleurs. la lgende des sicles victor hugo antre is a generic term for cave, and as trou means hole, the word antrou is also equivalent to old hole. archaic england harold bayley noun (archaic) a cavern or cave


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