Essential Literary Terms - Set 1

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Oxymoron

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A figure of speech that combines apparently contradictory ideas, such as 'deafening silence'.

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Denotation

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The literal meaning of a word; its dictionary definition.

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Personification

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A figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things, e.g., 'The wind whispered through the trees'.

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Cliché

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An expression that has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect.

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Idiom

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An expression or phrase that cannot be interpreted literally, e.g., 'It's raining cats and dogs'.

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Hyperbole

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An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, e.g., 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'

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Simile

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A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as', e.g., 'as brave as a lion'.

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that directly refers to one thing by mentioning another, e.g., 'Time is a thief'.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words, e.g., 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore'.