Learn English – a word for the relationship between “waning” and “non-waning”

single-word-requests

In a recent question, an antonym for waning was requested. Waxing was naturally suggested, but the OP declined the word because he was actually looking for a word meaning non-waning, and thought that "antonym" was the word to describe his request.

The difference is: waxing means getting stronger/more intense and non-waning, if it were a word, would mean unchanging (not getting either stronger or weaker).

What is the difference between the words actually called, if not antonymous?

Best Answer

A few options here would be reciprocal:

Mathematics (of a quantity or function) related to another so that their product is one

This isn't quite as translatable into normal usage because the standard use of reciprocal means something more akin to equal or mutual.

Another option is reversal:

a change to an opposite direction, position, or course of action

While the opposite of wane is wax, the reversal of wane would be an un-wane. The subtle difference here is key:

The opposite of scoring a goal is not scoring a goal.

The reversal of scoring a goal is to take back the goal.

Hitting up a thesaurus then provides these alternatives:

  • undoing
  • countering
  • overriding
  • revocation
  • repeal

And so on. Many words do not have appropriate reversals or antonyms and sometimes the same word can work for both.


In response to the edit, non- adds a third option to the pool which means "Not in the state of." This could be seen as an absence or negation. Much like how reversal and opposite can both apply, absence can fit into the same word as well:

This is hot; that is cold.

Hot is the opposite of cold; cold is also the absence of heat.

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