My theme for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge is contronyms. A contronym is a word with two or more opposite meanings, making it its own antonym. Click here to find out more about these quirky words.
The letter Q is often a tough one for many of the A to Z challenge themes, but luckily my list of contronyms has four options. One of the options is quiddity, which was actually the #15tt word the day after contronym was the #15tt word (my first introduction to these weird and wonderful words). How is that for a weird coincidence? But since quiddity is such a rare word, I don’t want to feature it as the contronym of the day.Two of the other Q contronym options are qualified and quite, and like some other words that have been on the list, I think it takes some stretching to really call their definitions opposites. So that leaves me with quantum as today’s featured contronym. I think it’s a solid offering, but since I wrote last year’s Q post on the show Quantum Leap, I do feel a slight sense of déjà vu.
Quantum – the smallest quantity of some physical property
~ or ~
Quantum – a large quantity; significant
In order to make quantum advances in our understanding of quantum particles, will we end up turning the world into a quantum pile of quantum dust?
Image courtesy of Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Are you familiar with contronyms? Can you think of any ‘Q’ contronyms that might have escaped the list? How Quaint is Lily with her letter Q?
I’m a writer and filmmaker exploring the magic of stories. I’ve always loved to read and watch television and movies, and now I'm creating my own stories via YA novels, short stories, screenplays, and even short films. I’m also an animal lover with a menagerie of pets; and, yes, I’m one of those people who puts party hats on their dogs and makes them “cakes” for their birthdays.
