Concept in Definition ABC

The antonym can be defined simply as a word that is opposed in terms of meaning to another and that is used to express the completely opposite of what the first expresses. Obviously, for the existence of an antonym (or the concept of antonym itself) to exist, there must be a previous word on which that opposite idea is applied. Unlike other terms, the antonym may not express a negative idea (as could be the case with adjectives of the style 'good and 'bad') if not simply establish opposition between one and the other (for example, in the case of' man 'and' woman ').

As might be expected, antonyms they are established in a binary way, that is, there must be two terms or concepts that can be opposed. At the same time, this opposition assumes that the term is not what the opposite represents, for example, in the case of 'young' and 'old', thus maintaining the disparity between the two and the impossibility that in some circumstance or exception of the language

the opposition may disappear.
It is important to note here that not all words have a specific antonym (such is the case of nouns referring to species animals or plants to which only the opposite of gender). Many other antonyms are formed by the simple negation of the word (for example, comfortable-uncomfortable).

According to experts from the semantics, there may be different types of antonyms that are characterized by certain traits. In the first place we find complementary antonyms, those that complement each other and that are absolutely opposite to each other and not to each other. These antonyms eliminate each other since the presence of one precludes that of the other. For example: mortal and immortal.

On the other hand there are the gradual antonyms that are oppositions of different degrees and that can be applied in combination with each other, for example fat-skinny (there may be several degrees between fat and thin). Finally, reciprocal antonyms are those that require a specific type of word that implies a relationship or link between the two antonyms that make up the couple, for example friend-enemy.

Topics in Antónimo