Diction Terms

Sarcasm

bitter, caustic language meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony, but not all irony is sarcastic.

denotation

The dictionary definition of a word

jargon

the specific language of a group, trade, or occupation (it tends to be complex and difficult to understand)

polysyllabic

words of more than one syllable

monosyllabic

words of one syllable

epithet

An adjective or phrase applied to a person to emphasize a personal characteristic or quality

onomatopoeia

sound words

slang

Very informal, nonstandard word use that goes in and out of style rapidly

imagery

Words or phrases that appeal to one or more of the five senses.

idiom

phrases/expressions that aren't meant to be taken literally

Pun

a play on the multiple meanings of a word or two words that sound alike but have different meanings

portmanteau word

these are words formed by blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings

connotation

the nonliteral, implied meanings of a word

euphemism

Using an indirect statement instead of a direct one in order to avoid being blunt

malapropism

the humorous use of a word that is taken out of context or "mistakenly" used in place of another word

colloquialism

the use of slang or informal diction in speech and writing

concrete word

words denoting objects that can be perceived by the senses

abstract word

words denoting intangible concepts like ideas or qualities

ambiguity

multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence or passage

invective

insulting, abusive, or highly critical language

tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

dialect

a way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region or group of people.

literal language

words used in their ordinary meanings.

formal diction

language characterized by intellectual vocabulary

diction

word choice

informal diction

language closest to everyday conversation