Definition of Meiosis The word meiosis originated from the Greek word meioo, which means “to diminish,” or “to make smaller.” Meiosis can be defined as a witty understatement that belittles or dismisses something or somebody; particularly by making use of…
Category: Literary Devices
Internal Rhyme
Definition of Internal Rhyme Internal rhyme is a poetic device that can be defined as metrical lines in which its middle words and its end words rhyme with one another. It is also called “middle rhyme,” since it comes in…
Logos
Logos Definition Derived from a Greek word, Logos means “logic.” Logos is a literary device that can be described as a statement, sentence, or argument used to convince or persuade the targeted audience by employing reason or logic. In everyday…
Jargon
Definition of Jargon Jargon is a literary term that is defined as the use of specific phrases and words in a particular situation, profession, or trade. These specialized terms are used to convey hidden meanings accepted and understood in that…
Iamb
Definition of Iamb An iamb is a literary device that can be defined as a foot containing unaccented and short syllables, followed by a long and accented syllable in a single line of a poem (unstressed/stressed syllables). Two of Robert…
Epistrophe
Definition of Epistrophe Epistrophe is derived from a Greek word that means “turning upon,” which indicates the same word returns at the end of each sentence. Epistrophe is a stylistic device that can be defined as the repetition of phrases…
Homophone
Definition of Homophone A homophone can be defined as a word that, when pronounced, seems similar to another word, but has a different spelling and meaning. For example, the words “bear” and “bare” are similar in pronunciation, but are different…
Free Verse
Definition of Free Verse Free verse is a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from the limitations of a regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such poems are without rhythm…
Fable
Definition of Fable The word fable is derived from the Latin word fibula, which means “a story,” and a derivative of the word fari, which means “to speak.” Fable is a literary device that can be defined as a concise…
Sibilance
Definition of Sibilance Sibilance is a literary device where strongly stressed consonants are created deliberately by producing air from vocal tracts through the use of lips and tongue. Such consonants produce hissing sounds. However, in poetry, it is used as…
Pleonasm
Definition of Pleonasm Pleonasm is derived from a Greek word that means “excess.” It is a rhetorical device that can be defined as the use of two or more words (a phrase) to express an idea. These words are redundant,…
Euphony
Definition of Euphony The literary device euphony is derived from the Greek word euphonos, which means “sweet-voiced.” It can be defined as the use of words and phrases that are distinguished as having a wide range of noteworthy melody or…
Circumlocution
Definition of Circumlocution Circumlocution is a rhetorical device that can be defined as an ambiguous or paradoxical way of expressing things, ideas, or views. In fact, when somebody wants to remain ambiguous about something, and he does not want to…
Elision
Definition of Elision An elision is the removal of an unstressed syllable, consonants, or letters from a word or phrase, for the purpose of decreasing the number of letters or syllables when mixing words together. The missing letter is replaced…
Cadence
Definition of Cadence Cadence is derived from the Latin word cadentia, which means “a falling.” It is the term used to signal the rising and falling of the voice when reading a literary piece. In poetry, it is the momentary…
Blank Verse
Definition of Blank Verse Blank verse is a literary device defined as an un-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter. In poetry and prose, it has a consistent meter with 10 syllables in each line (pentameter); where, unstressed syllables are followed…
Asyndeton
Definition of Asyndeton Asyndeton is derived from the Greek word asyndeton, which means “unconnected.” It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases, and in the sentence, yet maintain grammatical accuracy. This…
Aporia
Definition of Aporia Aporia is a figure of speech wherein a speaker purports or expresses doubt or perplexity regarding a question (often feigned), and asks the audience how he ought to proceed. The doubts may appear as rhetorical questions, often…
Anthropomorphism
Definition of Anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism is a literary device that can be defined as a technique in which a writer ascribes human traits, ambitions, emotions, or entire behaviors to animals, non-human beings, natural phenomena, or objects. Difference Between Anthropomorphism and Personification…
Anapest
Definition of Anapest Anapest is a poetic device defined as a metrical foot in a line of a poem that contains three syllables wherein the first two syllables are short and unstressed, followed by a third syllable that is long…