10 Examples of Oxymorons
5. Extinct Life
“Extinct life” is often used to describe animals that once lived on Earth but have since died out. The term is an oxymoron because if something is extinct, then it is no longer alive, even if it used to be. Regardless, the meaning of the term is still quite clear even if it does contradict itself.
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The opposite of extinct is extant, and this refers to species of animals that are still found living today. A similar oxymoron is “living fossils,” which contradicts itself because fossils cannot be living. This particular term is used to describe ancient species that coexisted with dinosaurs and other long-extinct species.
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