ANTONYMY AS A LEXICAL-SEMANTIC PHENOMENON

This article examines antonymy as a central lexical-semantic relation that reflects the systematic organization of contrast in language. The study argues that antonymy should not be reduced to the simplified notion of “opposite meaning,” since it represents a structurally and cognitively motivated relation between lexical units belonging to the same semantic field.

Particular attention is given to the main types of antonymy, including gradable, complementary, and converse oppositions, as well as to their semantic and functional properties.