Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite

Is there a word for a word whose form is contrary to its meaning?

For example, "quotidian" is anything but quotidian.

share|improve this question
I'd argue that my question is more specific than the first and different than the second, though it's true that heterological is offered as an answer in both. – Evan Cordell Oct 15 '12 at 10:22

3 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

My apologies to Professor Lawler, but I'm fairly sure that the word you want is heterological.

share|improve this answer
1  
+1 You're right. Lawler's citation reads in relevant part: "a predicate is heterological if it is not true of itself, that is, if it does not itself have the property it expresses". [emphasis added] – MετάEd Oct 15 '12 at 2:34
No apologies necessary. I'm happy I recognized it as referring to Russell's Paradox. – John Lawler Oct 15 '12 at 6:21
up vote 4 down vote

Another term is Non-heterological. This has featured in many discussions of Russell's Paradox.

share|improve this answer
1  
Your source is good but it seems like "heterological" was the word I'm looking for. – Evan Cordell Oct 15 '12 at 4:34
1  
Quite right. Those binary distinctions that lead to paradoxes do so for a reason. :-) – John Lawler Oct 15 '12 at 6:20
up vote 0 down vote

The term is ironic

using words that suggest the opposite of what you intend, usually in order to be humorous

The term also could be called oxymoronic

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true).

While oxymorons usually involve multiple words, the contradictory nature seems to fit.

share|improve this answer
I guess irony would cover it if you were calling attention to the heterological nature of the word. ("German isn't German. Think about that.") However, I'm speaking more generally. And oxymoron, at least from your quoted definition, requires a "conjunction of terms", which I would think implies more than one. (Always, not just usually). – Evan Cordell Oct 15 '12 at 4:33

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.