<prompt> Define the word oxymoron.  <response>: An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory or opposite terms in close proximity, creating a contrast or a paradox, for example, deafening silence or bittersweet. The term oxymoron comes from the Greek words oxys meaning sharp or keen, and moros meaning foolish, so translated literally, it means sharp-foolish. By highlighting the incongruity between the two words, the writer or speaker can emphasize the complexity or irony of the situation they are describing. 