Analogy
A similarity or COMPARISON between two DIFFERENT THINGS or the relationship between them.
Allusion
REFERENCE to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something (usually from literature, etc.).
Anaphora
REPETITION of a word or phrase as the BEGINNING of successive clauses
Antithesis
Figure of balance in which two CONTRASTING IDEAS are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences.
Anecdote
A SHORT NARRATIVE DETAILING particulars of an interesting episode or EVENT.
Apostrophe
calling out to an IMAGINARY, DEAD, or ABSENT PERSON, or to a place or thing, or a personified ABSTRACT IDEA.
Aphorism
BRIEF, cleverly worded STATEMENT that makes a wise OBSERVATION about LIFE, or of a PRINCIPLE or accepted GENERAL TRUTH.
Asyndeton
Commas used WITHOUT CONJUNCTION to SEPARATE a SERIES of words, thus emphasizing the parts EQUALLY:
Chiasmus
a type of RHETORICAL BALANCE in which the second part is syntactically balanced AGAINST the FIRST, but with the parts REVERSED.
Diction
a speaker or writer's choice of words.
Epistrophe
REPETITION in which the same expression is repeated at the END
Juxtaposition
UNASSOCIATED IDEAS, WORDS, or PHRASES are placed NEXT TO one anOTHER
Metonymy
a figure of speech in which a PERSON, PLACE, or THING, is REFERRED to by SOMETHING closely ASSOCIATED with it
Idiom
an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression; or, a regional speech or dialect
Oxymoron
a figure of speech that combines OPPOSITE or contradictory TERMS
Paradox
a statement that appears SELF-CONTRADICTORY, but that REVEALS a kind of TRUTH.
Parallelism
the REPETITION of words or phrases that have similar GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURES.
Pleonasm
the use of two or MORE WORDS (UNNECESSARY) to express an idea
Polysyndeton
sentence which uses CONJUNCTION with NO COMMAS to separate the items in a SERIES.
Sarcasm
BITTER, CAUSTIC language that is meant to HURT or RIDICULE someone or something.
Satire
ridicules the SHORTCOMINGS of people or institutions in an ATTEMPT to bring about a CHANGE
Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a PART REPRESENTS the WHOLE.
Tricolon
a rhetorical term that consists of three parallel clauses, phrases, or words, which happen to come in quick succession without any interruption
Zeugma
a figure of speech in which a word, usually a VERB or an ADJECTIVE, applies to MORE THAN ONE NOUN, BLENDING together GRAMMATICALLY and LOGICALLY different IDEAS.
Ethos
The persuasive appeal of one's character, or credibility
Pathos
The quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity (appeal to emotion)
Logos
An appeal based on logic or reason
Understandment
A statement that says less than what is meant
Rhetorical Question
a question asked for an effect, and not actually requiring an answer
Epiplexis
a rhetorical device in which the speaker REPROACHES the audience in order to incite or CONVINCE them
Ratiocinatio
the process of exact THINKING, REASONING.
Erotema
A QUESTION that is asked without expecting an answer because the answer is strongly IMPLIED(STATEMENT)
Auxesis
a figure of speech that lists a SERIES of things in ASCENDING order of IMPORTANCE