Antonimi

Antonimi, or antonyms, are words that express opposite meanings within a given language. They form a semantic relation in which two expressions stand in direct opposition in at least one interpretation, though exact oppositeness can vary by sense or context. The term derives from Greek anti, “against,” and onoma, “name,” and is used in Italian linguistic discussion as antonimi.

Antonyms are commonly categorized into several types. Complementary (binary) antonyms pair off without a middle ground, such as alive–dead, true–false, or present–absent. Gradable antonyms cover ends of a spectrum, like hot–cold or big–small, where intermediate values can occur. Relational (converses) antonyms describe opposite roles in a relationship, such as buy–sell, give–receive, or teacher–student. Some analyses also treat certain pairs as inverse relations that depend on perspective or functional roles.

Context and sense strongly influence antonymy. A word can have different antonyms depending on meaning, and some terms possess multiple opposing partners across distinct senses. Polysemy can thus yield several valid antonym pairs for a single word. In language technology and lexicography, antonymy is a recognized semantic relation used in resources such as lexical databases and bilingual dictionaries to model contrast and polarity.

Cross-linguistically, antonymy is shaped by how languages encode negation and opposition. Some languages form opposites through affixal negation (for example, using prefixes or particles), while others rely on distinct lexical items. Despite variation, the basic idea remains: antonyms are words that express opposition, enabling nuanced expression of contrast, comparison, and evaluative language.