Definitions Flashcards
What is alliteration?
The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words
Example: ‘She sells seashells by the seashore.’
What is sibilance?
Repetition of ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sounds, creating a hissing effect
Example: ‘The silent serpent slithered.’
What is plosive alliteration?
Repetition of ‘b’, ‘p’, ‘t’, or ‘d’ sounds, creating a sharp, percussive effect
Example: ‘Big booming beats broke the silence.’
What is liquid alliteration?
Repetition of ‘l’ sounds, creating a flowing, smooth effect
Example: ‘Lulled by the lilting lullaby.’
What is fricative alliteration?
Repetition of ‘f’ or ‘v’ sounds, producing a soft or breathy effect
Example: ‘Flames flickered fiercely in the night.’
What is dental alliteration?
Repetition of ‘d’ or ‘t’ sounds, often giving a clipped or precise effect
Example: ‘Tapping toes danced on the tiled floor.’
What is assonance?
The repetition of vowel sounds within words close to each other
Example: ‘The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.’
What is consonance?
The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words in close proximity
Example: ‘The lumpy, bumpy road.’
What is enjambment?
The continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line, stanza, or couplet without a pause
Example: ‘The sun hovered above the horizon, waiting to drop.’
What is caesura?
A strong pause within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation
Example: ‘To be, or not to be—that is the question.’
What is a metaphor?
A direct comparison between two unrelated things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Example: ‘Time is a thief.’
What is a simile?
A comparison between two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Example: ‘Her smile was as bright as the sun.’
What is personification?
Giving human characteristics to non-human things
Example: ‘The wind whispered through the trees.’
What is hyperbole?
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis
Example: ‘I’ve told you a million times.’
What is imagery?
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses
Example: ‘The golden sunset bathed the ocean in a fiery glow.’
What is symbolism?
The use of an object, person, or event to represent a deeper meaning
Example: ‘A dove represents peace.’
What is allegory?
A story, poem, or image with a hidden meaning, often moral or political
Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farm represents the Russian Revolution.
What is irony?
A contrast between expectations and reality
Types: Verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony.
What is juxtaposition?
Placing two contrasting ideas or images close together for effect
Example: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’
What is an oxymoron?
A phrase that combines contradictory words
Example: ‘Bittersweet.’
What is a paradox?
A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth
Example: ‘Less is more.’
What is anaphora?
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
Example: ‘I have a dream… I have a dream…’
What is epistrophe?
The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses
Example: ‘See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.’
What is repetition?
The intentional reuse of words or phrases for emphasis
Example: ‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.’
