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Literary terms refer to the technique, style, and formatting used by writers and speakers to masterfully emphasize, embellish, or strengthen their compositions. Learn about the importance, categories, and examples of literary terms such as persuasion, figurative language, plot and character devices, and more.
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- Soliloquy
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- Alliteration
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Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Instant PDF downloads. Refine any search. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more.
- Alliteration
- Anaphora
- Anastrophe
- Chiasmus
- Congeries
- Cumulative Sentence
- Epistrophe
- Erotesis
- Hyperbaton
- Isocolon
Alliteration describes a series of words in quick succession that all start with the same letter or sound. It lends a pleasing cadence to prose and Hamlet and the dollar as currency in Macbeth. Example: “One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.” — “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne Exercise: Pic...
Anaphorais the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of clauses or sentences. It’s often seen in poetry and speeches, intended to provoke an emotional response in its audience. Example:Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its c...
Anastropheis a figure of speech wherein the traditional sentence structure is reversed. So a typical verb-subject-adjective sentence such as “Are you ready?” becomes a Yoda-esque adjective-verb-subject question: “Ready, are you?” Or a standard adjective-noun pairing like “tall mountain” becomes “mountain tall.” Example:“Deep into that darkness peer...
Chiasmus is when two or more parallel clauses are inverted. “Why would I do that?”you may be wondering. Well, a chiasmus might sound confusing and unnecessary in theory, but it's much more convincing in practice — and in fact, you've likely already come across it before. Example:“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for you...
Congeries is a fancy literary term for creating a list. The items in your list can be words, ideas, or phrases, and by displaying them this way helps prove or emphasize a point — or even create a sense of irony. Occasionally, it’s also called piling as the words are “piling up.” Example: "Apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and ...
Acumulative sentence(or “loose sentence”) is one that starts with an independent clause, but then has additional or modifying clauses. They’re often used for contextual or clarifying details. This may sound complex, but even, “I ran to the store to buy milk, bread, and toilet paper” is a cumulative sentence, because the first clause, “I ran to the ...
Epistrophe is the opposite of anaphora, with this time a word or phrase being repeated at the endof a sentence. Though its placement in a sentence is different it serves the same purpose—creating emphasis—as an anaphora does. Example: “I’ll be ever’where – wherever you look. Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever ...
Erotesis is a close cousin of the rhetorical question. Rather than a question asked without expectation of an answer, this is when the question (and the asker) confidently expects a response that is either negative or affirmative. Example: “Do you then really think that you have committed your follies in order to spare your son them?” — Siddhartha ...
Hyperbaton is the inversion of words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence that differs from how they would normally be arranged. It comes from the Greek hyperbatos, which means “transposed” or “inverted.” While it is similar to anastrophe, it doesn’t have the same specific structure and allows you to rearrange your sentences in whatever order you wan...
If you’re a neat freak who likes thingsjust so, isocolonis the literary device for you. This is when two or more phrases or clauses have similar structure, rhythm, and even length — such that, when stacked up on top of each other, they would line up perfectly. Isocolon often crops up in brand slogans and famous sayings; the quick, balanced rhythm m...
Browse through our list of literary devices and literary terms with definitions, examples, and usage tips. Explore each device in depth through literature.
- Metaphor. Metaphors, also known as direct comparisons, are one of the most common literary devices. A metaphor is a statement in which two objects, often unrelated, are compared to each other.
- Simile. Similes, also known as indirect comparisons, are similar in construction to metaphors, but they imply a different meaning. Like metaphors, two unrelated objects are being compared to each other.
- Analogy. An analogy is an argumentative comparison: it compares two unalike things to advance an argument. Specifically, it argues that two things have equal weight, whether that weight be emotional, philosophical, or even literal.
- Imagery. Is imagery a literary device? Absolutely! Imagery can be both literal and figurative, and it relies on the interplay of language and sensation to create a sharper image in your brain.
In this article, we'll help you get familiar with most commonly used literary devices in prose and poetry. We'll give you a clear definition of each of the terms we discuss along with examples of literary elements and the context in which they most often appear (comedic writing, drama, or other).
Abi Wurdeman. January 8, 2024. As the title of this article promises, I’m about to hit you with over 91 common literary terms. You’re going to get definitions, examples, and—in most cases—links to articles that go into more depth on each concept. But first, let’s be real with each other.
