Literary Style & Figurative Language – Lecture Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering 60 key literary and stylistic terms discussed in the lecture notes.

Figurative Language

Descriptive language that makes comparisons and engages the reader’s imagination (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification).

Rhetoric

Artful, purposeful word choice used to achieve effective communication or persuasion.

Semantics

The study of meaning conveyed through signs, symbols, and words, and how people interpret them.

Style

The characteristic manner of writing that distinguishes one author’s work from another’s.

Figures of Speech

Literary or rhetorical devices such as simile, metaphor, and personification used for effect.

Anachronism

Something placed out of its proper time period (parachronism: past in future; prochronism: present/future in past).

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginnings of successive clauses or sentences.

Aphorism

A concise, wise saying expressing a general truth (e.g., “That which does not kill us makes us stronger”).

Apostrophe

Direct address to an absent person, inanimate object, or abstract idea.

Archaism

The use of an outdated or obsolete word or phrase.

Cliché

An overused expression that has lost originality or impact.

Colloquialism

Informal or slang expression unsuitable for formal writing.

Conceit

An extended or controlling metaphor that develops a striking comparison throughout a work.

Connotation

The implied, emotional, or associated meaning beyond a word’s dictionary definition.

Denotation

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word or phrase.

Epithet

A descriptive word or phrase expressing a quality or attribute of a person or thing.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered harsh or unpleasant.

Gallows Humor (Black Humor)

Grotesque or morbid humor highlighting absurdity, cruelty, or tragedy.

Hyperbole

Deliberate overstatement or exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Idiom

A culture-specific expression whose meaning differs from the literal words.

Invective

Harsh, abusive language used to attack or denounce.

Lampoon

A satirical work ridiculing a person, group, or idea.

Malapropism

Comic misuse of words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Meiosis

Intentional understatement used for ironic or humorous effect.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using like or as.

Mixed Metaphor

Two or more incompatible metaphors combined, creating confusion.

Onomatopoeia

A word whose sound imitates the thing it describes (e.g., hiss, splash).

Oxymoron

A phrase combining two contradictory terms to form a fresh image (e.g., jumbo shrimp).

Paradox

A statement or situation that seems self-contradictory yet may reveal truth.

Parallelism

Use of balanced or symmetrical sentence structures for effect or comparison.

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human objects, animals, or ideas.

Pun

A humorous play on words based on similar sounds or multiple meanings.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked to provoke thought rather than elicit an answer.

Sarcasm

Cutting, often ironic language used to mock or convey contempt.

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using like or as.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa.

Trope

A figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression; any figure of speech such as metaphor, irony, or hyperbole.

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, event, place, or work presumed familiar to the reader.

Caricature

Exaggerated portrayal of a character’s features or traits for comic effect.

Stream of Consciousness

Narrative style presenting the continuous flow of a character’s thoughts and perceptions.

Epiphany

A sudden realization or insight that clarifies understanding.

Foreshadowing

A hint or clue about events that will occur later in a story.

In Media Res

Narrative technique that begins a story in the middle of the action.

Irony

Use of language or situations to convey a meaning opposite to expectations.

Cosmic Irony

Contrast between a character’s goals and the universe’s indifferent or opposing forces.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more than a character, creating contrasting meanings.

Situational Irony

A discrepancy between expected results and actual outcomes.

Structural Irony

Narrative device in which a naïve or misguided perspective contrasts with the author’s viewpoint.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what one means; often overlaps with sarcasm.

Melodrama

A drama relying on stereotypes, exaggerated emotions, and clear moral polarization.

Pathos

The quality in a work that evokes pity or compassion from the audience.

Poetic Diction

Elevated or stylized language typically used in poetry rather than everyday speech.

Poetic License

Freedom for writers to deviate from standard rules for artistic effect.

Theme

The central, universal idea or message explored in a literary work.

Archetype

A universal pattern, symbol, or character type that recurs across literature (e.g., the hero).

Imagery

Descriptive language that creates vivid sensory experiences for the reader.

Motif

A recurring element or image that underscores a theme in a work.

Symbol

An object, person, or action that represents an abstract idea beyond its literal meaning.

Thesis

The main argument or claim a writer advances, especially in nonfiction.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through style and diction.