Explain the concept of reverse congradable antonyms.

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Explain the concept of reverse congradable antonyms.

Reverse congradable antonyms refer to a specific type of antonyms that exhibit a gradable relationship, where one term represents the positive or affirmative end of a scale, while the other term represents the negative or opposite end of the same scale. In this case, the negative term is derived by adding a prefix or affix to the positive term, resulting in a word with an opposite meaning.

For example, consider the pair "possible" and "impossible." "Possible" represents the positive end of the scale, indicating that something can be done or achieved. On the other hand, "impossible" represents the negative end of the scale, indicating that something cannot be done or achieved. The negative term "impossible" is formed by adding the prefix "im-" to the positive term "possible."

Similarly, other examples of reverse congradable antonyms include "legal" and "illegal," "satisfied" and "unsatisfied," "responsible" and "irresponsible," among others. In each case, the negative term is formed by adding a prefix or affix to the positive term, resulting in a word with an opposite meaning.

Reverse congradable antonyms are different from other types of antonyms, such as complementary antonyms, which are pairs of words that represent opposite ends of a binary relationship, where the presence of one term implies the absence of the other. In contrast, reverse congradable antonyms represent a gradable relationship, where the two terms exist on a scale of intensity or degree.