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Glite Dictionary
indirect antonym

indirect antonym

9.3
An opposite found through another word, not directly opposed
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : antónimo indirecto
  • The word 'parched' is an indirect antonym of 'wet' because its opposition is mediated by the word 'dry'.

Examples

  • In his essay, he discussed how 'happy' and 'miserable' could be considered indirect antonyms through their links to 'unhappy'.

  • The word 'hot' has an indirect antonym in 'cold' through 'temperature'.

  • Teachers sometimes introduce indirect antonyms to show complex word relationships beyond straightforward opposites.

  • An indirect antonym can often reveal deeper meanings.

  • In his essay, he explained how 'happy' and 'miserable' can be viewed as indirect antonyms via their connection to 'unhappy'.

  • Teachers use indirect antonyms to help students understand nuanced relationships between words that aren't direct opposites.

  • The term 'parched' serves as an indirect antonym to 'wet', linked through the intermediary 'dry'.

Surface Forms

indirect antonym singular
indirect antonyms plural

Morphology

indirect + antonym

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'indirect' (mediated, not direct) with 'antonym' (a contrasting word): it straightforwardly conveys an antonym whose opposition is mediated rather than direct. This adjective+noun composition follows standard, cross-linguistically common patterns and should be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents, despite the slightly technical register.

Etymology

The term indirect antonym gives a simple picture of two words with a third word between them: they are not direct opposites but connected through that middle word. The word indirect means 'not direct' and antonym means 'opposite', so an indirect antonym is a word that is an 'opposite' only because another word links them.