Word
|
Definition
|
acatalectic
|
having complete or full number of syllables in a poetic
line
|
accismus
|
in rhetoric, pretending to refuse something
|
adynaton
|
rhetorical use of a nearly impossible situation for
emphasis
|
agnomination
|
rhetorical use of similar-sounding words for effect
|
alogism
|
illogical statement
|
anacoenosis
|
rhetorical questioning of hearers or opponents for
opinions on a matter
|
anacoluthon
|
moving to new topic of discussion before finishing current
one
|
anadiplosis
|
repeating last word of clause at beginning of next clause
|
analepsis
|
repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis; pleonasm
|
anaphora
|
repetition of a word at beginning of successive phrases
for emphasis
|
anastrophe
|
reversing or inverting word order as rhetorical device
|
antanaclasis
|
repetition of key word of phrase as a play on words
|
anthorism
|
counter-definition; redefinition of opponent's term for
rhetorical effect
|
anthypophora
|
refuting an objection using a contrary inference
|
anticlimax
|
expression whose last part is decreased in effect from the
prior part
|
antimetabole
|
figure in which words or phrases are repeated but in
inverse order
|
antimetathesis
|
inversion of the parts of an antithesis
|
antiphrasis
|
use of words in a sense opposite to literal
|
antistrophe
|
repetition of words in reverse order
|
antistrophon
|
turning of opponent's own argument against them
|
antithesis
|
contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangement of
words or clauses
|
antonomasia
|
use of descriptive phrase or epithet instead of proper
name
|
aparithmesis
|
rhetorical answer to a proposition
|
apodosis
|
main concluding clause in a conditional sentence
|
apophasis
|
saying something by stating that you will not mention it
|
aposiopesis
|
suddenly stopping in the middle of a speech for emphasis
|
apostrophe
|
addressing of a personified thing rhetorically
|
asteism
|
refined irony
|
asyndeton
|
rhetorical device of omitting conjunctions
|
atticism
|
expression characterized by conciseness and elegance
|
auxesis
|
increase in size; hyperbole or augmentation of meaning
|
bathos
|
appearance of the commonplace in elevated matter for
rhetorical effect
|
catastasis
|
introductory part of speech where narrator introduces
subject
|
chiasmus
|
contrast by parallelism in reverse order
|
climax
|
gradual increase in force of rhetorical expressions or
drama of a performance
|
consecution
|
logical sequence or progression of an argument
|
diacope
|
rhetorical separation of a compound word by a third word;
tmesis
|
diallage
|
device in which many arguments brought upon one point
|
diallelus
|
circular argument
|
dialogism
|
rhetorical discussion in form of an imaginary dialogue
|
diaporesis
|
rhetorical expression of uncertainty of which of two
options to adopt
|
diasyrm
|
rhetorical device of condemning through faint praise
|
diatyposis
|
rhetorically vivid and clear description of a subject
|
dicaeology
|
defending oneself in argument by claiming justification
|
dilemma
|
in rhetoric, forcing a choice between two equally
unfavourable choices
|
dilogy
|
intentional ambiguousness
|
dinumeration
|
numbering of rhetorical points one by one
|
ecbole
|
digression
|
echolalia
|
echo-like repetition of another's words
|
echopraxia
|
echo-like repetition of another's actions
|
ecphasis
|
explicit declaration or interpretation
|
ecphonesis
|
rhetorical exclamation
|
ecphrasis
|
plain interpretation of a thing
|
ekphrasis
|
description of a work of art as rhetorical exercise
|
enantiosis
|
ironic expression of idea by refuting its contrary
|
enthymeme
|
rhetorical suppression or omission of a premise
|
epanadiplosis
|
sentence which begins and ends with same word
|
epanalepsis
|
repetition
|
epanaphora
|
repetition of same word at beginning of multiple phrases
or sentences
|
epanastrophe
|
device where end of one sentence is repeated as beginning
of next
|
epanodos
|
recapitulation of chief points in a discourse after
digression
|
epanorthosis
|
retraction of statement in order to intensify it
|
epexegesis
|
addition of words to make the sense more clear
|
epibole
|
device of beginning several clauses with same word
|
epilogue
|
rhetorical conclusion or summary
|
epiphonema
|
exclamation, finishing phrase or reflection
|
epiphora
|
rhetorical repetition of a word at the end of several
sentences
|
epiplexis
|
persuasion through stylized but severe criticism of
opponent
|
epiploce
|
use of multiple entwined points in succession in an
argument
|
epistrophe
|
ending of successive clauses with the same word
|
epitrope
|
rhetorical but ironic granting of permission to an
opponent to do something
|
epizeuxis
|
immediate repetition of a word for emphasis
|
erotesis
|
rhetorical questioning
|
ethopoeia
|
delineation of the character of someone or something
|
euphemism
|
rhetorical use of a pleasant or favourable form in place
of a harsh one
|
exergasia
|
remaining on one point of argument while gradually
fleshing it out
|
gemination
|
doubling of a consonant sound; in rhetoric, repetition of
a word or phrase
|
hendiadys
|
expression of adjective and noun as two adjectives
|
heterosis
|
use of one form of a noun or pronoun in place of another
for rhetorical effect
|
homeoteleuton
|
the use or occurrence of similar word endings
|
homoeoptoton
|
use of series of words sharing the same verb or noun
inflections
|
hypallage
|
figure in which relations between words are changed
|
hyperbaton
|
rhetorical device in which word order is reversed
|
hyperbole
|
impression by extravagant exaggeration
|
hypercatalectic
|
having an extra syllable on the end of a line of verse
|
hypobole
|
anticipating and refuting objections to an argument
|
hypophora
|
statement of an opponent's probable but as yet unstated
objection
|
hypostrophe
|
return to primary argument after digression
|
hypotyposis
|
vivid description of a scene
|
hysteron proteron
|
in rhetoric, putting first what normally comes last
|
ischiorrhogic
|
of an iambic line, having spondees in the second, fourth
or sixth place
|
lemma
|
preliminary proposition, theme, argument or headword
|
litotes
|
understatement by affirming using negation of the contrary
|
macrology
|
much talk with little to say; redundancy; pleonasm
|
meiosis
|
understatement of size or importance for rhetorical effect
|
merism
|
rhetorical device of contrasting two parts of a whole
|
mesozeugma
|
placement of a word referring to two different clauses
between them
|
metabasis
|
transition; transfer; in rhetoric, movement from one topic
to another
|
metalepsis
|
metonymy of a double or indirect kind
|
metaphor
|
figurative transfer of qualities from one object or event
to another
|
metaphrase
|
turning of prose into verse or vice versa
|
metastasis
|
removal from one place to another; rapid transition in
argument
|
metonymy
|
figurative use of word to name an attribute of its subject
|
mimesis
|
rhetorical imitation of another's words or mannerisms
|
mycterism
|
sneering; rhetorical sarcasm or irony
|
noema
|
stating something obscurely, forcing listeners to work it
out
|
oxymoron
|
figure of speech combining contradictory terms
|
palillogy
|
repetition of a word or word or phrase
|
parabola
|
rhetorical use of simile or metaphor
|
paradiastole
|
description of an unfavourable quality through a
favourable synonym
|
paradigma
|
rhetorical comparison by resemblance to another thing
|
paraenesis
|
rhetorical expression of advice or warning
|
paragram
|
play on words in which letters are changed
|
paralipsis
|
fixing attention on subject by pretending to neglect it
|
paranomasia
|
rhetorical art of punning
|
parathesis
|
apposition; compounding of words without change
|
parecbasis
|
rhetorical digression or deviation from expected topic
|
paregmenon
|
repetition of a word or its cognates in a series of words
|
parembole
|
insertion of something related to the subject into a
phrase
|
paremptosis
|
insertion of something related to the subject into a
phrase
|
parison
|
even balance of elements in a sentence
|
paroemia
|
proverb or adage used in argumentation
|
paromoion
|
starting statement with several words starting with the
same letter
|
paromologia
|
partial admission of opponent's argument to strengthen
one's final position
|
parrhesia
|
asking forgiveness in advance for frank or bold speech
|
pathopoeia
|
excitation of passion by rhetoric or poetry
|
periergia
|
use of elevated style to discuss a trivial matter
|
periphrasis
|
circumlocution; round-about expression
|
perissology
|
verbiage; pleonasm
|
pleonasm
|
redundancy; use of more words than necessary
|
ploce
|
repetition of word in more expressive sense for emphasis
|
polyptoton
|
repetition of word in same sentence with multiple
inflectional endings
|
polysyndeton
|
rhetorical device of repeating conjunction for emphasis
|
preterition
|
passing over or omission; drawing attention to a thing by
claiming to omit it
|
procatalepsis
|
anticipating and answering an opponent's objections
|
prolepsis
|
anticipation; device where objections are anticipated
|
pronomination
|
description of a thing by its qualities rather than its
proper name
|
prosopopoeia
|
personification; representation of absent person as
speaking
|
protasis
|
first clause in a conditional expression; introductory
part of a play
|
prothysteron
|
putting last what normally comes first in an expression or
argument
|
protozeugma
|
zeugma in which word referring to two clauses is placed
before both of them
|
schesis
|
deriding opponent's argument by referring to his way of
thought
|
simile
|
comparison of two things
|
sorites
|
string of statements where end of one is subject of next
|
superjection
|
exaggeration; hyperbole
|
syllepsis
|
figure where word related to two others differently
|
syllogism
|
argument in which two premises lead to a logical
conclusion
|
symploce
|
repetition of word at start of one and end of next clause
|
synchoresis
|
concession made for the sake of more effective retort
|
synchysis
|
confusion of meaning due to unusual arrangement
|
syncrisis
|
comparison of diverse or contradictory things
|
syndeton
|
phrase whose parts are joined by a conjunction
|
synecdoche
|
part used to refer to whole or vice versa
|
synoeciosis
|
rhetorical figure of coupling opposites
|
tapinosis
|
use of degrading or diminutive diction regarding a topic
|
tmesis
|
separation of word into parts by an intervening word
|
trope
|
any figure of speech; figurative language
|
tuism
|
apostrophe; reference to or regard to a second person
|
zeugma
|
use of a word to modify two or more words in different
ways
|