contranym

American  

[kon-truh-nim] / ˈkɒn trə nɪm /

Or contronym

noun

1. a word that has opposite or nearly opposite meanings, as cleave, meaning "to adhere closely" and "to part or split."

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Etymology

Origin of contranym

First recorded in 1960–65; contra- ¹ ( def. ) + -(o)nym ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contranym

By the 1930s Americans were depantsing each other in the United States before settling—in many parts of the country—into the contranym pantsing.

From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2012

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