Etymology

Noun

1. A figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect.
   • A famous example is Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 1, ll. 63-4:

     No light, but rather darkness visible

     Serv'd only to discover sights of woe

2. A contradiction in terms.
3. A paradoxical juxtaposition of two seemingly contradictory words.

Usage notes

• Traditionally, the word is used in cases where the contradiction is deliberate, its purpose being to emphasize or heighten a contrast. The use of as a synonym for contradiction in terms is considered incorrect by some speakers and writers, and is perhaps best avoided in certain contexts. (See the Wikipedia article.)