contranym
contranym by Thebestoftimestheworstoftimes September 29, 2013
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.
contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality
A word invented by James Joyce and used in his Ulysses. The word may be broken into parts to better understand its meaning:
con-trans-magnific-and-jew-bang-tantiality
The "-tantiality" is just a suffix for "con-" and "trans-". The "con-" refers to consubstantiation, the belief in Catholic theology that the father, the son and the holy spirit are all of the same substance but each presents in a different form. The "-trans-" refers to transubstantiation, the belief in Catholic theology that during communion the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of christ; the mundane is transformed into the divine. These two first parts of the word indicate that the word has to do with the intersection between the divine (god) and the mundane (humanity), or christ. The "magnific" refers to the magnificent, the divine. The "-and-" simply refers to the word "and" and the "-jew-" refers to a Jew, specifically Mary. The "-bang-" is where things get tricky and we see a bit of Joyce's (slightly blasphemous) humour: in one sense, "-bang-" refers to a collision between the divine and Mary (christ). It also refers to sex; Mary is impregnated by the divine and out of this tryst christ is born. Joyce intentionally juxtaposes sexuality and the virgin because he both believes that all human activities are beautiful and deserve to be represented in literature and because, in order for christ to have a human mother and a divine father, he must have blood from both.
con-trans-magnific-and-jew-bang-tantiality
The "-tantiality" is just a suffix for "con-" and "trans-". The "con-" refers to consubstantiation, the belief in Catholic theology that the father, the son and the holy spirit are all of the same substance but each presents in a different form. The "-trans-" refers to transubstantiation, the belief in Catholic theology that during communion the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of christ; the mundane is transformed into the divine. These two first parts of the word indicate that the word has to do with the intersection between the divine (god) and the mundane (humanity), or christ. The "magnific" refers to the magnificent, the divine. The "-and-" simply refers to the word "and" and the "-jew-" refers to a Jew, specifically Mary. The "-bang-" is where things get tricky and we see a bit of Joyce's (slightly blasphemous) humour: in one sense, "-bang-" refers to a collision between the divine and Mary (christ). It also refers to sex; Mary is impregnated by the divine and out of this tryst christ is born. Joyce intentionally juxtaposes sexuality and the virgin because he both believes that all human activities are beautiful and deserve to be represented in literature and because, in order for christ to have a human mother and a divine father, he must have blood from both.
You: Contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality.
English Professor: You get an "A," and you don't even have to come to class anymore.
You: Contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality.
Catholic Priest: STOP READING JAMES JOYCE WE NEED TO BURN THAT FILTHY BOOK BEFORE IT POISONS MORE MINDS AND DAMNS MORE SOULS!!!
Hot Girl: What does contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality mean?
You: I better come over and explain it to you. We may even need to act it out...
English Professor: You get an "A," and you don't even have to come to class anymore.
You: Contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality.
Catholic Priest: STOP READING JAMES JOYCE WE NEED TO BURN THAT FILTHY BOOK BEFORE IT POISONS MORE MINDS AND DAMNS MORE SOULS!!!
Hot Girl: What does contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality mean?
You: I better come over and explain it to you. We may even need to act it out...
contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality by Avrilsbestguy October 2, 2011
Related Words
on the contrary
I thought the killing part of the movie would scare the children, but on the contrary, that was their favorite part.
on the contrary by BocaBabie1234 August 13, 2009
contrainment
noun
1. an effort that is inconvenient
2. a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result
3. a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome
syn - difficulty
1. the fact or condition of being contrained.
2. Often, contrainments.
3. a trouble or struggle.
4. a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
5. a disagreement or dispute.
6. reluctance; unwillingness.
7. a demur; objection.
8. something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.
1. an effort that is inconvenient
2. a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result
3. a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome
syn - difficulty
1. the fact or condition of being contrained.
2. Often, contrainments.
3. a trouble or struggle.
4. a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
5. a disagreement or dispute.
6. reluctance; unwillingness.
7. a demur; objection.
8. something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.
That silly lady at the DMV was giving me some contrainments about my expired tags!
My mexican pal is trying to act white but all he does is cause us a bunch of contrainment when dealing with his ridiculous antics.
Every time I go into the salesman's office he gives me a buncha contrainment about how smart he is.
My mexican pal is trying to act white but all he does is cause us a bunch of contrainment when dealing with his ridiculous antics.
Every time I go into the salesman's office he gives me a buncha contrainment about how smart he is.
contrainment by David - TeamPSI May 11, 2007
Contranize
To condescendingly patronize somebody.
To make it seem like you are complimenting somebody when it is clear to everybody involved that you are making fun of them and their entire life in general.
To make it seem like you are complimenting somebody when it is clear to everybody involved that you are making fun of them and their entire life in general.
Yo yo Gio!! Are you wearing one of those douchey Affliction shirts?!?! THAT IS FUCKING AWESOME!!!!" "Damn bro, you totally just contranized the shit out of me.
Contranize by Frankenskedge June 20, 2010
Contronym
A word which is defined as both itself and the opposite of itself.
E.G
“Because of their oversight, Russia was sanctioned by NATO”
Can mean that Russia was given approval (sanctioned) by NATO because of their vigilance (oversight)
Or that Russia was punished (sanctioned) by NATO because they egregiously overlooked something (oversight)
E.G
“Because of their oversight, Russia was sanctioned by NATO”
Can mean that Russia was given approval (sanctioned) by NATO because of their vigilance (oversight)
Or that Russia was punished (sanctioned) by NATO because they egregiously overlooked something (oversight)
Words that can perform or imply two directly contradictory actions are called contronyms
1. I clipped (attached) on a bow tie after I got my hair clipped (detached, cut off) at the barber shop
2. The House Oversight Committee’s role is to perform oversight (strenuous watchdog duties) by ensuring that no oversights (mistakes, errors) are made in the government
3. I screened (blocked) the light from my eyes so I could see the movie that was being screened (shown)
4. I was the latest to rent (buy) the apartment that my landlord had been renting (selling, leasing) for five years now
1. I clipped (attached) on a bow tie after I got my hair clipped (detached, cut off) at the barber shop
2. The House Oversight Committee’s role is to perform oversight (strenuous watchdog duties) by ensuring that no oversights (mistakes, errors) are made in the government
3. I screened (blocked) the light from my eyes so I could see the movie that was being screened (shown)
4. I was the latest to rent (buy) the apartment that my landlord had been renting (selling, leasing) for five years now
More from Urban Dictionary
Ratfucker
Brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the book on the fall of Richard Nixon, All The President’s Men, ratfucker was Nixon’s term for a political operative who sows chaos among opponents; an agent provocateur. It is thought to have originated among campus political rivalries at USC, and seems to have some usage in the US military.
Along with Nixon’s other ratfuckers, Roger Stone caused fights at otherwise peaceful Democratic Party protests to generate a false narrative that the Democrats were violent and dangerous.
Ratfucker by Ricky Ramjet November 2, 2017
Word of the Day on November 2, 2026
countrypolitan
Term used to describe someone who is a mix of both rural (country) and urban (metropolitan) lifestyles/upbringings. He/she is typically equally comfortable in both settings and is able to seamlessly slip back and forth between the two, appreciating the characteristics of each.
That ol' gal of mine drives the 12 lane freeway during the week and a John Deere on the weekends. She likes opra and the Grand Ol' Opry. I love them countrypolitan women.
countrypolitan by MOChick November 7, 2006
Word of the Day on November 1, 2026
Witch Bath
A bath consisting of a variety of slats, oils, soaps or any other added ingredients such as fruits, milks, herbs or any other spices for health or beautifying benifits.
Witch Bath by carnieboy30 October 26, 2020
Word of the Day on October 31, 2026
proper lad
proper lad by its_ya_boi_chips_ahoy May 20, 2018
Word of the Day on October 29, 2026