autoantonym
noun
au·to·an·to·nym
ˌȯ-(ˌ)tō-ˈan-tə-ˌnim 
plural autoantonyms
: contronym
I loved "perspicacious" and "recondite" and "hortatory" and "cleave," the last of which meant the opposite of itself, both to join and to tear apart. "Impregnable" was an autoantonym, too. It was like a snake that ate its own tail.—
Joshua Henkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2013
Joshua Henkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2013
Dictionary Entries Near autoantonym
Cite this Entry
“Autoantonym.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autoantonym. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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