Pronounced: CORE-niss, noun
Notes: I knew one of the definitions, but not the other – do you know either definition?
Yesterday’s word
The word oxymoron means “a figure of speech in which the two contradictory term appear together for emphasis” – here’s a good one: accurate estimate
First usage
This word came into English in the mid-1600s
Background / Comments
The plural of oxymoron is oxymora (but, in fairness, oxymorons is acceptable). I am bemused by the origin of this word: It comes from the Greek word oxymoron, which comes from oxys (sharp) and moros (dull), which means that the word’s origin is itself an oxymoron. Words are such fun!
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 