Oxymoron is an Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a rhetorical device that uses an ostensible self-contradiction to illustrate a rhetorical point, or to reveal a paradox.  The usual plural is “oxymorons”; rarely, some use “oxymora”.  The term is first recorded as Latinised Greek oxymorum, by Maurus Servius Honoratus.  Maurus Servius Honoratus was a late fourth-century and early fifth-century grammarian, with the contemporary reputation of being the most learned man of his generation, in Italy.  He was the author of a set of commentaries on the works of Virgil, In tria Virgilii Opera Expositio. 

“Oxymoron” it is derived from the Greek “ὀξύς” (oksus), meaning “sharp, keen, pointed”; and “μωρός” (moros), meaning “dull, stupid, foolish”.  This would translate literally as “sharp-dull”, “keenly stupid”, or “pointedly foolish”.  Thus, the word “oxymoron” is autological, itself an example of an oxymoron. The Greek compound word, ὀξύμωρον, which would correspond to the Latin formation, does not seem to appear in any known Ancient Greek works prior to the formation of the Latin term. 

The following is a list of some oxymorons. 

Act Natural

Alone Together

Bittersweet

Bottom-Up

Civil War

Clearly Misunderstood

Cold as Hell

Dark Light

Deafening Silence

Definitely Maybe

Decaffeinated Coffee

Educated Guess

Even Odds

Extinct Life

Farewell Reception

Fight for Peace

Found Missing

Good Grief

Growing Smaller

Happily Married

Humane Slaughter

Impossible Solution

Infinity and Beyond

Jumbo Shrimp

Larger Half

Lead Balloon

Less is More

Living Dead

Love Hate

New and Improved

Old News

Only Choice

Open Secret

Organised Chaos

Original Copy

Parallel Convergence

Passive Aggressive

Plastic Silverware

Poor Health

Pretty Ugly

Random Order

Same Difference

Servant Leader

Small Crowd

Sweet Sorrow

Start Quitting

Student Teacher

True Lies

True Myth

Unbiased Opinion

Vegan Meat

Virtual Reality

Walking Dead

Weirdly Normal

Wireless Cable

Working Holidays

Working Vacation