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Idiom

Definition of Idiom An idiom is a saying, phrase, or fixed expression in a culture that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. An idiom gains that meaning through repetition in a culture, and is often introduced via literature, media, famous people, or associations that originally make sense but lose their literal meaning. There are examples of idiom

Zoomorphism

Definition of Zoomorphism Zoomorphism is the device of giving animal-like qualities to anything that is not that animal such as humans, gods, and inanimate objects. Zoomorphism can also include giving the features of one animal to another, such as if a dog were to say “meow” in a cartoon or work of literature. A special class of zoomorphism in which

Comedy

Definition of Comedy Comedy is a form of entertainment meant to be humorous, whether in literature, television, film, or stand-up. The goal of most comedy examples is to induce laughter in the audience. There are many different forms of comedy, such as screwball comedy, black comedy, innuendo, parody, satire, pun, comedy of manners, romantic comedy, farce, burlesque, sarcasm, dramatic irony,

Dactyl

Definition of Dactyl A dactyl is a metrical foot with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. For example, the words “typical” and “elephant” both demonstrate the dactylic stress pattern. In Greek and Latin verse, which use a different understanding of meter that relies on the length of syllables rather than their stress pattern, a dactyl is a long

Archaism

Definition of Archaism An archaism is a word that is no longer in common usage, but is used for stylistic effect to mimic the sound of older language. One of the most common archaisms in English is “thee” or “thou,” which is only used in very specific contexts (such as “With this ring I thee wed”). Archaisms can also occur

Antanaclasis

Definition of Antanaclasis Antanaclasis is to repeat a word or phrase but with a different meaning than in the first case. Antanaclasis is often used humorously, and is found in many pun examples. For example, at the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence Ben Franklin is quoted as having said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly

Figurative Language

Definition of Figurative Language Figurative language is any figure of speech which depends on a non-literal meaning of some or all of the words used. There are many types of figurative language, including literary devices such as simile, metaphor, personification, and many pun examples, to name just a few. The definition of figurative language is opposite to that of literal

Meter

Definition of Meter Meter is the rhythm of syllables in a line of verse or in a stanza of a poem. Depending on the language, this pattern may have to do with stressed and unstressed syllables, syllable weight, or number of syllables. Many older and more formal poems contain strict meter, which either continues throughout the entire poem or alternates

Adynaton

Definition of Adynaton Adynaton is a form of hyperbole in which a statement is so extreme as to imply that it’s impossible. One of the most famous examples of adynaton in English is the phrase, “I’ll believe that when pigs fly.” The clear implication in this phrase is that pigs will never fly, and thus the speaker will never believe

Iamb

Definition of Iamb An iamb is a unit of meter with two syllables, where the first syllable is unstressed and the second syllable is stressed. Words such as “attain,” “portray,” and “describe” are all examples of the iambic pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. The iamb is one of the most fundamental metrical feet in English language and poetry. Many

Tautology

Definition of Tautology A tautology states the same thing twice in slightly different wording, or adds redundant and unnecessary words. Tautological reasoning is logic that uses the premise as the conclusions, or is too obvious as to be necessary. For example, saying, “When we get a pet we will either get a dog or some other animal” is tautological, as

Anapest

Definition of Anapest An anapest is a metrical foot that consists of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. Words such as “understand” and “contradict” are examples of anapest, because both of them have three syllables where the accent is on the final syllable. Anapestic words are less common than other meters in English, such as words with three

Conceit

Definition of Conceit As a literary device, a conceit uses an extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things. A conceit is often elaborate and controls a large section of a poem or the entire poem. Conceits are often quite unique and ingenuous, and can present striking juxtaposition and comparison of the unlike things. At times this can mean that

Jargon

Definition of Jargon Jargon is a specialized set of terms and language that is used in a particular context and setting. It is especially common to find jargon in an industry, such as in law, medicine, academia, or an art or sport. People who are not a part of this industry or group may not be able to understand the

Cliché

Definition of Cliché A cliché is a saying, idea, or element of artistic work that is overused in a culture to the point of losing its original, more significant, meaning. Clichés often are annoying to a listener or reader in that they display a lack of originality on the part of the speaker or writer. Some clichés are also examples

Synesthesia

Definition of Synesthesia When used as a literary term, synesthesia is a figure of speech in which one sense is described using terms from another. Examples of synesthesia often are in the form of a simile, as this is an easy way to link two previously unconnected images. For example, you might say, “The silence was as thick as a

Antimetabole

Definition of Antimetabole Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which words or clauses from the first half of a sentence are repeated in the second half of the sentence in reverse order. For example, John F. Kennedy’s famous instruction to the American people in his inaugural address is an antimetabole: “Ask not what your country can do for you,

Antithesis

Definition of Antithesis Antithesis is the use of contrasting concepts, words, or sentences within parallel grammatical structures. This combination of a balanced structure with opposite ideas serves to highlight the contrast between them. For example, the following famous Muhammad Ali quote is an example of antithesis: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” This is an antithesis example because

Parallelism

Definition of Parallelism Parallelism is the usage of repeating words and forms to give pattern and rhythm to a passage in literature. Parallelism often either juxtaposes contrasting images or ideas so as to show their stark difference, or joins similar concepts to show their connection. Authors often create parallelism through the use of other literary devices, such as anaphora, epistrophe,

Red Herring

Definition of Red Herring A red herring in literature is a narrative element that is used to throw off readers and lead them to false conclusions. This is an especially popular literary device to use in detective stories and thrillers. An author provides one or more red herrings intentionally to divert attention away from the true object or person of

Colloquialism

Definition of Colloquialism The word “colloquialism” comes from the Latin colloquium, which means a “conference” or “conversation.” As a literary device, colloquialism refers to the usage of informal or everyday language in literature. Colloquialisms are generally geographic in nature, in that a colloquial expression often belongs to a regional or local dialect. They can be words, phrases, or aphorisms (see

Consonance

Definition of Consonance Consonance is a literary device in which a consonant sound is repeated in words that are in close proximity. The repeated sound can appear anywhere in the words, unlike in alliteration where the repeated consonant sound must occur in the stressed part of the word. Consonance is also a similar concept to assonance, which refers to the