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.’
What is onomatopoeia?
A word that imitates the sound it represents
Example: ‘Boom, crash, buzz.’
What is allusion?
A reference to another literary work, person, or event
Example: ‘He had the strength of Hercules.’
What is a motif?
A recurring element in a literary work that reinforces themes
Example: ‘The motif of darkness in Macbeth.’
What is mood?
The emotional atmosphere of a literary work
Example: ‘The eerie silence sent shivers down her spine.’
What is tone?
The author’s attitude toward the subject
Example: ‘Hopeful, melancholic, sarcastic.’
What is diction?
The choice of words in a literary work
Example: ‘Formal, informal, poetic.’
What is syntax?
The arrangement of words and phrases to create sentences
Example: ‘The dog ran vs. Ran the dog.’
What is free verse?
Poetry without a regular meter or rhyme scheme
Example: ‘The wind blows wherever it pleases.’
What is blank verse?
Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter
Example: Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ‘To be, or not to be.’
What is a sonnet?
A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme, often about love
Example: Shakespearean sonnets.
What is an elegy?
A poem of mourning or reflection
Example: ‘O Captain! My Captain!’ by Walt Whitman.
What is an ode?
A poem of praise or dedication
Example: ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ by John Keats.
What is euphony?
Pleasing, harmonious sounds
Example: ‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.’
What is cacophony?
Harsh, discordant sounds
Example: ‘Jabberwocky’ by Lewis Carroll.
