Rhetorical and Literary Devices Vocabulary

This set includes 70 vocabulary flashcards covering rhetorical and literary devices and related grammar concepts from the lecture notes.

Absolute

A word free from limitations or qualifications (e.g., “best,” “all,” “unique,” “perfect”).

Ad hominem argument

An argument attacking a person’s character rather than their position on an issue.

Allusion

A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.

Analogy

A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

Anecdote

A brief narrative focusing on a particular incident or event.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

Antithesis

A statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced.

Aphorism

A concise statement that succinctly expresses a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance.

Asyndeton

Presentation of a series without conjunctions.

Chiasmus

A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed.

Cliché

An overused expression whose freshness has worn off.

Climax

Arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in order of increasing importance, often in parallel structure.

Colloquialism

Informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing.

Complex sentence

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Compound sentence

A sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by conjunctions.

Compound-complex sentence

A sentence with two or more principal clauses and one or more subordinate clauses.

Connotation

The implied, emotional, or associative meaning of a word.

Declarative sentence

A sentence that makes a statement or declaration.

Deductive reasoning

Reasoning that reaches a conclusion by applying a general principle to a specific case.

Denotation

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word.

Dialect

A variety of speech with its own grammar or pronunciation, often regional.

Diction

The word choices made by a writer (formal, informal, technical, etc.).

Didactic

Having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing.

Ethos

Persuasive appeal based on the speaker’s character or credibility.

Euphemism

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something unpleasant.

Exclamatory sentence

A sentence expressing strong feeling, ending with an exclamation mark.

Exigence

The event or situation that motivates someone to speak or write about an issue.

Hyperbole

Intentional exaggeration for effect.

Idiom

An expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal words; a regional phrase.

Imagery

Use of vivid language to create images that appeal to the senses.

Imperative sentence

A sentence that gives a command.

Implication

A suggestion an author makes without stating it directly; the audience infers.

Inductive reasoning

Deriving general principles from specific facts or instances.

Inference

A conclusion drawn from evidence or premises.

Inverted syntax

A sentence in which the predicate comes before the subject.

Irony

Use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; discrepancy between expectation and reality.

Jargon

Specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession.

Juxtaposition

Placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast.

Litotes

Understatement expressed by negating its opposite.

Logos

Persuasive appeal to reason or logic.

Malapropism

Mistaken substitution of one word for another that sounds similar.

Metaphor

A direct comparison of two different things.

Metonymy

Substituting the name of one object for another closely associated with it.

Non sequitur

A statement or inference that does not logically follow from the premises.

Paradox

An apparently contradictory statement that contains a truth.

Parallelism

Use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms.

Parody

A humorous imitation of a serious work.

Parenthetical

A comment that interrupts the immediate subject to qualify or explain.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion; quality that evokes pity.

Pedantic

Characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human objects or creatures.

Polysyndeton

Use of more conjunctions than necessary for rhetorical effect.

Rhetoric

The art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner.

Rhetorical question

A question asked for effect and not requiring an answer.

Rhetorical devices

Literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression.

Satire

Use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or social imperfections.

Simile

A comparison using “like,” “as,” or another comparative word.

Simple sentence

A sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause.

Structure

The arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work.

Style

The choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work.

Syllepsis

A construction in which one word is used in two different senses.

Syllogism

A three-part deductive argument with a major premise, minor premise, and conclusion.

Synecdoche

Using a part of something to represent the whole.

Synesthesia

Describing one kind of sensation in terms of another (e.g., “a loud color”).

Syntax

The arrangement or order of words in a sentence.

Theme

The central idea or lesson of a work.

Tone

The writer’s attitude toward the subject or audience.

Trope

An artful deviation from the ordinary meaning of a word, such as metaphor or hyperbole.

Vernacular

The everyday speech of a particular region, often involving nonstandard usage.