Is there a term for a word that serves as its own antonym?



For example:





  • "transparent" can mean both "obvious" and "hidden"




  • "aught" can mean both "all" and "nothing"





Is there a term for a word which has multiple definitions that are antonyms?



Answer



Great question. These wacky words are called "contronyms." As defined by Oxford dictionaries,



"A word with two opposite meanings, e.g., sanction (which can mean both ‘a penalty for disobeying a law’ and ‘official permission or approval for an action’)."



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