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Literary Devices and Elements Vocabulary Set in Language: Full and Detailed List

The 'Literary Devices and Elements' vocabulary set in 'Language' is carefully selected from standard international textbook sources, helping you master vocabulary in a short time. Comprehensive compilation of definitions, illustrative examples, and standard pronunciation...

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allegory

/ˈæl.ə.ɡɔːr.i/

Example:

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is a famous allegory for the Russian Revolution.

alliteration

/əˌlɪt̬.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

Example:

The poem used alliteration with the phrase 'slippery, slithering snake'.

allusion

/əˈluː.ʒən/

Example:

The poem contains an allusion to Greek mythology.

anachronism

/əˈnæk.rə.nɪ.zəm/

Example:

The sword in the modern play was an anachronism.

anthropomorphism

/ˌæn.θrə.pəˈmɔːr.fɪ.zəm/

Example:

The ancient Greeks often depicted their gods with human emotions, a clear example of anthropomorphism.

antithesis

/ænˈtɪθ.ə.sɪs/

Example:

Love is the antithesis of hatred.

aphorism

/ˈæf.ɚ.ɪ.zəm/

Example:

The book was full of wise aphorisms about life.

archaism

/ɑːrˈkeɪ.ɪ.zəm/

Example:

The poem was full of archaism, making it difficult for modern readers to understand.

archetype

/ˈɑːr.kə.taɪp/

Example:

He is the archetype of the successful entrepreneur.

assonance

/ˈæs.ən.əns/

Example:

The poem used assonance with the repeated 'o' sound in 'old' and 'cold'.

character

/ˈker.ək.tɚ/

Example:

He has a strong character.

dramatic irony

/drəˌmæt.ɪk ˈaɪ.rə.ni/

Example:

The play uses dramatic irony when the audience knows the killer's identity, but the characters do not.

ending

/ˈen.dɪŋ/

Example:

The movie had a surprising ending.

euphemism

/ˈjuː.fə.mɪ.zəm/

Example:

'Passed away' is a euphemism for 'died'.

exposition

/ˌek.spəˈzɪʃ.ən/

Example:

The book provides a clear exposition of the author's philosophy.

flashback

/ˈflæʃ.bæk/

Example:

The smell of smoke triggered a flashback to his time in the war.

foreshadowing

/fɔrˈʃæd·oʊ·ɪŋ, foʊr-/

Example:

The dark clouds and distant thunder served as foreshadowing of the coming storm.

imagery

/ˈɪm.ə.dʒər.i/

Example:

The poet used vivid imagery to describe the sunset.

irony

/ˈaɪ.rə.ni/

Example:

The irony of the situation was that the fire station burned down.

juxtaposition

/ˌdʒʌk.stə.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/

Example:

The artist used juxtaposition to highlight the differences between light and shadow.

litotes

/ˈlaɪ.təʊ.tiːz/

Example:

The phrase "not bad" when describing a delicious meal is an example of litotes.

metaphor

/ˈmet̬.ə.fɔːr/

Example:

The phrase 'drowning in debt' is a common metaphor.

metonymy

/məˈtɑː.nə.mi/

Example:

The phrase 'the crown' is an example of metonymy, referring to the monarchy.

onomatopoeia

/ˌɑː.noʊˌmæt̬.oʊˈpiː.ə/

Example:

The word 'buzz' is an example of onomatopoeia.

oxymoron

/ˌɑːk.sɪˈmɔːr.ɑːn/

Example:

The phrase 'jumbo shrimp' is a classic example of an oxymoron.

non sequitur

/ˌnɑːn ˈsek.wɪ.tʊr/

Example:

His argument was full of non sequiturs, making it hard to follow.

personification

/pɚˌsɑː.nə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/

Example:

The wind whispered through the trees, a beautiful example of personification.

plot

/plɑːt/

Example:

The police uncovered a plot to overthrow the government.

repetition

/ˌrep.əˈtɪʃ.ən/

Example:

The repetition of the main theme makes the song memorable.

pathetic fallacy

/pəˌθet.ɪk ˈfæl.ə.si/

Example:

The author used pathetic fallacy to describe the angry storm.

satire

/ˈsæt.aɪr/

Example:

His latest novel is a biting satire on modern consumerism.

point of view

/ˈpɔɪnt əv vjuː/

Example:

From my point of view, the decision was fair.

sarcasm

/ˈsɑːr.kæz.əm/

Example:

Her voice was full of sarcasm as she thanked him for his 'help'.

simile

/ˈsɪm.ə.li/

Example:

The poet used a simile to describe the clouds as 'like cotton balls floating in the sky'.

soliloquy

/səˈlɪl.ə.kwi/

Example:

Hamlet's famous 'To be or not to be' is a classic example of a soliloquy.

symbolism

/ˈsɪm.bə.lɪ.zəm/

Example:

The dove is a common symbolism for peace.

spoonerism

/ˈspuːnərɪzəm/

Example:

The professor was famous for his frequent spoonerisms, like saying 'Our queer old dean' instead of 'Our dear old queen'.

synecdoche

/sɪˈnek.də.ki/

Example:

The phrase 'all hands on deck' is a synecdoche, where 'hands' refers to the sailors.

tautology

/tɑːˈtɑː.lə.dʒi/

Example:

The phrase 'free gift' is a tautology because a gift is inherently free.

theme

/θiːm/

Example:

The main theme of the novel is love and loss.

tone

/toʊn/

Example:

The singer's voice had a beautiful, clear tone.

truism

/ˈtruː.ɪ.zəm/

Example:

It's a truism that you can't please all the people all the time.

setting

/ˈset̬.ɪŋ/

Example:

The movie's setting was a remote island.

zeugma

/ˈzuːɡ.mə/

Example:

The sentence 'She broke his car and his heart' is an example of zeugma.

paradox

/ˈper.ə.dɑːks/

Example:

The statement "This statement is false" is a classic paradox.
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