contradiction in terms
A statement that seems to contradict itself, with one part of it denying another. For example, I've always believed that “a poor millionaire” was a contradiction in terms. [Late 1700s]
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6 Portuguese Terms We Wish Existed in EnglishSometimes we’re at a loss for words, not because we’re speechless, but because no English term lends itself to the situation (or snack) at hand. At those times, we turn to other languages, celebrating them for the concepts we wish we could express so easily in English. Here are some of our favorite words from the Portuguese language. Saudade This untranslatable Portuguese term refers to …
Nearby words
- contracture,
- contracyclical,
- contradance,
- contradict,
- contradiction,
- contradictious,
- contradictive,
- contradictory,
- contradistinction,
- contradistinguish
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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