Glossary of Rhetorical Terms – AP English Language

What is the definition of 'Allegory'?

• The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.

• A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.

• A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.

• A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly but may include a latent truth.

What is the definition of 'Alliteration'?

• The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants in two or more neighboring words (as in “she sells sea shells”). Although the term is not used frequently in the multiple-choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage.

• The use of words that imitate the sounds they describe, such as 'buzz' or 'hiss'.

• A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction, such as 'deafening silence'.

• The attribution of human characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas.

What is the definition of 'Allusion'?

What is the definition of 'Ambiguity'?

What is the definition of 'Analogy'?

• A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging.

• A direct statement of fact without any comparison or relationship.

• A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

• A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.

What is the definition of 'Anaphora'?

• One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.

• A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

• A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.

• A statement that seems self-contradictory or nonsensical on the surface but that, upon closer examination, may express an underlying truth.

What is the definition of 'Anecdote'?

• A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event. The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

• A long, detailed account of historical events.

• A scientific explanation of a natural phenomenon.

• A poem written in a specific meter and rhyme scheme.

What is the definition of 'Antecedent'?

What is the definition of 'Antithesis'?

What is the definition of 'Aphorism'?