Poetry Terms

Simile

a comparison between two unlike things using like or as

Metaphor

A comparison between two unlike things with the intent of giving added meaning to one of them

Imagery

a description that appeals to any one or combination of the five senses

Alliteration

repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of a series of words

Personification

a type of figurative language in which a non-human subject is given human characteristics

Symbol

an object, setting, event, animal, or person that also stands for something greater than itself, usually for something abstract

Tone

the attitude of the writer or speaker toward the subject or audience

Rhyme

the beat of words which gives poetry a musical quality

Rhythm

the beat of words which gives poetry a musical quality

connotation

the emotional and associated meanings of words

onomatopoeia

the use of words that sound like what the mean

allusion

a brief reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object

assonance

the repetition of vowel sounds (lake, fate)

Consonance

the repetition of consonant sounds (add and read, mil and ball)

Meter

a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables

free verse

poetry that is free of meter

figurative language

words which utilize comparisons and connotation to give meaning different from literal dictionary definitions