Literary Terms and Essential Words

Adage

A saying often in metaphorical form that embodies a common observation

Aestehtics

Of or relating, or dealing with the boeautiful/ Artistic/ Pleasing in appearance

Alliteration

The use of words that begin with the same sound near one another

Ambiguity

the quality or state of not being clear in meaning/ a word or expression that can be understodd in two or more possible ways

Anaphora

Repition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect

Anthropomorphism

An interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal charachteristics

Archetype

the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies

Caesura

A break in the flow of sound in a verse caused by the ending of a word within a foot

Allusion

A statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly

Denouement

The final part of something or the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literally work

Dichotomy

A division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities also; the process or practice or making such a division

Didactic

Designed or intended to teach or to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment

Double-Entendre

Ambiguity of meaning arising from language that lends itself to more than one interpretation

Elegy

A song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead

Epigram

A concise poem dealing pointedly and often satirically with a single thought or event and often ending with an ingenious turn of thought

Epigraph

An engraved inscription/ a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme

Epiphany

A moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way

Epistemology

The study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity

Epithet

A characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occuring in place of the name of a person or thing/ A disparaging or abusive word or phrase/ The part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unite within a genus

Figure

An intentional deviation from the ordinary form or syntactical relation of words

Foil

In literature a charachter which serves as a contrast to another

Hermeneutics

The study of methodological principles of interpretation or a method or principle of interpretation

Hyperbole

An extravagent exaggeration or language which describes something as better or worse than it really is

Irony

The use of words that mean the opposite of what you really think especially in order to be funny

Kenning

A perceptible but small amount

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them

Meter

Systematically arranged and measured rhythm in verse (1): rhythm that continuously repeats a single basic pattern (2): rhythm charachterized by regular recurrence of a systematic

Metonymy

A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which is an attribute or with which it is associated

Pathos

An element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion

Pathetic Fallacy

The ascription of human traits or feelings to inanimate nature

Personification

Person who has a lot of a particular quality and who is the perfect example of someone who has that quality/ an imaginary person that represents a thing or idea/ the practice of representing a thing or idea as a person in art, literature, etc.

Pun

The usually humorous use of a word in such ways or phrase so that more than one meaning is suggested

Soliloquy

A long, usually serious speech that a charachter in a play makes to an audience and that reveals the charachter's thoughts

Trope

A word, phrase, image, or expression used in a different way to create an artistic effect or used in a figurative sense to represent a common or overused theme or device

Verisimilitude

The quality or state of seeming realistic

Digress

To turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument

Antithesis

The rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements or words, clauses, or sentences

Catharsis

The act or process of releasing a strong emotion especially through an art form, and which brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

Conflate

To bring together or to combine into a composite whole

Fallacy

A deceptive appearance or the quality of being false or wrong

Ardent

Characterized by warmth of feeling typically expressed in eager zealous support or activity

Harbinger

A person sent ahead to provide lodgings
One that pioneers in or initates a major change
One that presages or foreshadows what is to come
Somethind that shows what is coming

Hubris

Exaggerated pride or self-confidence as well as a foolish amount of pride or confidence

Maxim

A general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct also a proverbial saying

Metaphysical

Of, relating to, or based on the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses

Reticent

Not willing to tell people about things or inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech

Ubiquitous

Seeming to be seen everywhere or existing or being everywhere at the same time

Vapid

Not lively or interesting, lacking liveliness, briskiness, or force

Analogy

A comparison of two things based on their being alike in some way/the act of comparing two things that are alike in some way

Assonance

1. Resemblance of sound in words or syllables
2 a) relatively close juxtaposition of similar sounds especially of vowels
b) repetition of vowels without repetition of consonants

Conceit

1) Too much pride in your own worth or goodness/an idea that shows imagination
2) individual opinion or favorable opinion

Consonance

1) harmony or agreement among components
2) correspondence or recurrence of sounds especially in words; specifically; recurrence or repetitions of consonants especially at the end of stressed syllables without the similar correspondence of vowels

Doppelganger

A look alike, or a ghost that looks like a living person

Enjambment

The running over of a sentence from one verse or couplet into another so that closely related words fall in different lines

Juxtapose

To place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different

Litotes

Understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary

Anathema

Someone or something that is very strongly disliked or that is cursed

Deus Ex Machina

1. a god introduce by means of a crane in ancient Greek and Roman drama to decide final outcome
2. A person or thing that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty

Syntax

a : the way in which linguistic elements (as words) are put together to form constituents (as phrases or clauses)
b : the part of grammar dealing with this

Expeditious

Marked by or acting with prompt efficiency

Assiduous

marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application

obsequious

Marked by or exhibiting fawning attentiveness or eager to help or obey someone of imprtance

Diction

obsolete : verbal description
2
: choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
3
a : vocal expression : enunciation
b : pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing