Words that mean the opposite

[Symmetry]

"Virtual" used to mean "real". Now it means "not real".
"Nice" used to mean "thin".
"Sophisticated" used to mean "pretentious".

That last one is rooted in the Greek philosopher's idea of Sophistry, or knowledge, I think. Socrates being both an example of an anti-Sophist, and maybe the best example of sophistry.

I think I'm being a bit pretentious.

[tzor]

Decimate used to originally mean to reduce by 10%
Now it means to reduce to 10%

[Symmetry]

Decimate used to originally mean to reduce by 10%
Now it means to reduce to 10%

Huh- I knew the original meaning. I had no idea that the term was used in the way that you claim, Tzor. Could you provided an example?

[notyou2]

Tzor went to church and made a donation. His wallet was decimated. But, the priest was happy, he could buy more pop and chips for the choir boys.

[2dimes]

I always thought "virtual" meant close to real or almost. Was it actually another word for real at some point?

I like the info about "decimate" never looked into it. Was it a good thing at some point? I only ever remember hearing/reading it used as a term for battle. "They were decimated at..."

[Dukasaur]

I always thought "virtual" meant close to real or almost. Was it actually another word for real at some point?

I like the info about "decimate" never looked into it. Was it a good thing at some point? I only ever remember hearing/reading it used as a term for battle. "They were decimated at..."

Yeah, that's the (wrong) way people tend to use the word nowadays -- when the army is completely smashed and almost annihilated. It drives me nuts, because it was never meant to represent annihilation. Decimation was a very specific punishment under the Roman Empire. When a village was disloyal, they would march into town, line up all the men single file, and kill every tenth one. One-in-ten. DECI-mate.

The use by lazy authors of "decimate" as a synonym for "annihilate" is particularly annoying because the punishment of decimation was specifically designed to AVOID annihilation. Previous Empires would punish disloyal villages by simply killing all the men, raping all the women, and selling the children into slavery. The Romans were trying to send a message that they were not barbarians, that they were limited by the rule of law and would exact a painful but strictly limited type of punishment.


The meaning of virtual hasn't really changed much. It has always meant "just as good as the real thing." In Roman times, when a gladiator was called "Heracles virtualis" it meant he was just as good as Hercules, or more literally "possessed of the virtue of Hercules". It never meant that he actually was Hercules. In the 16th and 17th century, when optics was becoming a science, lensmakers made the distinction between a "real" image (composed of light coming straight from the object) and a "virtual" image (composed of light that has been reflected from an inner surface). Again, the virtual images was "just as good as" the real thing, but not exactly the real thing. The use of the term in computer imagery comes directly from its use in optics.

[2dimes]

I'm with you there Duke.

My favorite is "volatile" and "volatility" they were supposed to be how easily a liquid evaporates, but since it helps make gasoline combine with the oxygen in the atmosphere to allow a very small spark to turn it into a vicious fire, people started using it for explosive.

[Symmetry]

I always thought "virtual" meant close to real or almost. Was it actually another word for real at some point?

I like the info about "decimate" never looked into it. Was it a good thing at some point? I only ever remember hearing/reading it used as a term for battle. "They were decimated at..."

Yeah, that's the (wrong) way people tend to use the word nowadays -- when the army is completely smashed and almost annihilated. It drives me nuts, because it was never meant to represent annihilation. Decimation was a very specific punishment under the Roman Empire. When a village was disloyal, they would march into town, line up all the men single file, and kill every tenth one. One-in-ten. DECI-mate.

The use by lazy authors of "decimate" as a synonym for "annihilate" is particularly annoying because the punishment of decimation was specifically designed to AVOID annihilation. Previous Empires would punish disloyal villages by simply killing all the men, raping all the women, and selling the children into slavery. The Romans were trying to send a message that they were not barbarians, that they were limited by the rule of law and would exact a painful but strictly limited type of punishment.


The meaning of virtual hasn't really changed much. It has always meant "just as good as the real thing." In Roman times, when a gladiator was called "Heracles virtualis" it meant he was just as good as Hercules, or more literally "possessed of the virtue of Hercules". It never meant that he actually was Hercules. In the 16th and 17th century, when optics was becoming a science, lensmakers made the distinction between a "real" image (composed of light coming straight from the object) and a "virtual" image (composed of light that has been reflected from an inner surface). Again, the virtual images was "just as good as" the real thing, but not exactly the real thing. The use of the term in computer imagery comes directly from its use in optics.

That's pretty interesting, but the origin is virtus- Latin for truth.

[notyou2]

I'm with you there Duke.

My favorite is "volatile" and "volatility" they were supposed to be how easily a liquid evaporates, but since it helps make gasoline combine with the oxygen in the atmosphere to allow a very small spark to turn it into a vicious fire, people started using it for explosive.

Also used for tempers.

[DoomYoshi]

Here's a neat article on this very topic.
https://www.newstatesman.com/2017/11/full-understand-new-language-lesvos-refugee-camp

[Thorthoth]

Decimate used to originally mean to reduce by 10%
Now it means to reduce to 10%

New IMPROVED decimation, kicks old WIMPY decimation's ass 9X over.

[jonesthecurl]

Here's a neat article on this very topic.
https://www.newstatesman.com/2017/11/full-understand-new-language-lesvos-refugee-camp

Towards the end of WWII, there were lots of allied soldiers in Italy, often not sharing a language - they too evolved a sort of pidgin Italian. My Dad, some years ago, was still able to speak to my brother's Flemish father-in-law in this pidgin. They shared no other language. It is however very difficult for actual italians to understand.

[Dukasaur]

Here's a neat article on this very topic.
https://www.newstatesman.com/2017/11/full-understand-new-language-lesvos-refugee-camp

Towards the end of WWII, there were lots of allied soldiers in Italy, often not sharing a language - they too evolved a sort of pidgin Italian. My Dad, some years ago, was still able to speak to my brother's Flemish father-in-law in this pidgin. They shared no other language. It is however very difficult for actual italians to understand.

Italians are difficult to understand in any language.

[tzor]

Huh- I knew the original meaning. I had no idea that the term was used in the way that you claim, Tzor. Could you provided an example?

Well, technically the Time Lords don't want me to violate the laws of time, so while I can "provide" (present tense) you an example, I can't provided (past tense) an example.

This case only comes up to 77.5% but no one ever accused the Russians of being precise. Russia accuses US coalition of decimating Raqqa

Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that 200,000 people lived in Raqqa before the conflict, but no more than 45,000 remained.