Figurative Language

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definition and eight primary types of figurative language based on the instructional unit.

figurative language

A way of using words or phrases that go beyond the literal meaning of the words to make communication more interesting, humorous, or simple.

idiom

A common cultural phrase that means something different from its literal meaning.

simile

A phrase that compares two unlike things using the words "like" or "as".

hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration.

alliteration

A stylistic device where the same consonant sound is repeated at the beginning of each word in a phrase.

metaphor

A phrase that compares two unlike things without using the words "like" or "as".

personification

Giving human traits, abilities, or qualities to non-human things, such as objects or animals.

onomatopoeia

Words used to represent or resemble sounds.

oxymoron

A phrase made of words that have opposite meanings.

repetition

the reuse of words or phrases in a literary work to create emphasis or rhythm

imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating mental images for the reader.

pun

a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for a humorous or rhetorical effect

allusion

an indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work that adds deeper meaning or context

rhyme

the repetition of similar sounds, typically at the ends of lines in poetry, creating a musical effect.

Type of figurative language: "The exam was a piece of cake"

Example of idiom (a common phrase meaning the test was very easy to complete).

Type of figurative language: "I wish my backpack was as light as a feather"

Example of simile (a comparison between two unlike things using the word "as").

Type of figurative language: "I have told you a million times"

Example of hyperbole (an extreme exaggeration used to emphasize frustration).

Type of figurative language: "She sells seashells by the seashore"

Example of alliteration (the repetition of the initial "s" consonant sound across words).

Type of figurative language: "Life is a highway"

Example of metaphor (a direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as").

Type of figurative language: "The worn-out car rested in the garage"

Example of personification (assigning the human behavior of resting to an inanimate vehicle).

Type of figurative language: "The bee buzzed in my ear"

Example of onomatopoeia (a word that imitates the natural buzzing noise made by a bee).

Type of figurative language: "I have a love-hate relationship with video games"

Example of oxymoron (pairing two contradictory or opposite terms together side by side).

Type of figurative language: "The crisp air and sweet aroma of warm chocolate chip cookies filled the room"

Example of imagery (vivid sensory language appealing directly to touch and smell).

Type of figurative language: "Don't be such a Scrooge during the holiday season"

Example of allusion (an indirect reference to the Charles Dickens character to describe someone miserly).