Rhetorical Devices and Figures of Speech

Flashcards covering important rhetorical devices and figures of speech with their definitions and examples.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally.

Understatement

A figure of speech in which something is presented as being smaller or less important than it really is.

Litotes

A form of understatement that involves making a negative statement to express a positive idea.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device where two opposite ideas are put together to achieve a contrasting effect.

Hypophora

A rhetorical device where the speaker asks a question and then immediately answers it.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, where no answer is expected because the answer is implied.

Procatalepsis

A rhetorical device in which the speaker raises an objection to their argument and then immediately answers it.

Distincto

A rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is clarified and further explained to ensure understanding.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it does not literally denote, implying a comparison.

Eponym

A figure of speech in which a person, real or fictional, is used as the basis for a concept or idea.

Sententia

A figure of speech where a general truth, moral, or maxim is presented.

Exemplum

A rhetorical device in which the speaker uses an example to illustrate a point.