juxtaposition

[juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

2. the state of being close together or side by side.

Other Word Forms

• juxtapositional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of juxtaposition¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from French, from Latin juxtā “near, bordering, side by side” + French position position; joust ( def. )

Example Sentences

In a preface, the film director Guillermo del Toro likens this collection to early modern cabinets of curiosities, whose juxtapositions of natural and artificial objects were meant to expose a hidden order of existence.

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The juxtapositions of paired images often communicate subtle meanings.

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The technique of “Train Dreams”—the stylized juxtaposition of images and narration, the kaleidoscopic jumble of anxious memories and pastoral portraits—is not the stuff of an Old West parable.

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“We’re all on board the same ship and because of Suzi’s voice, the texture, is beautiful. It’s a good complement and a good juxtaposition. That’s a great thing about these songs,” he says.

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In “No Other Choice,” his transitions and visual juxtapositions convey profound themes beneath the satirical surface.

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