Contradictio in terminis

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Contradictio in terminis (Latin for contradiction in terms) refers to a combination of words whose meanings are in conflict with one another. Examples are "liquid ice", "independent colony" and "square circle".

If the contradiction is intentional (rhetorical or poetic), then one can speak of an oxymoron.

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In logic, the law of non-contradiction (LNC) states that contradictory propositions cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time, e. g. the two propositions "p is the case" and "p is not the case" are mutually exclusive. Formally this is expressed as the tautology ¬(p ∧ ¬p). The law is not to be confused with the law of excluded middle which states that at least one, "p is the case" or "p is not the case" holds.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contradiction</span> Logical incompatibility between two or more propositions

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