AP Language and Composition Literary Terms: Definitions and Examples

Allegory

A narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey a deeper moral or political meaning.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work.

Ambiguity

The presence of two or more possible meanings within a single word or phrase.

Anadiplosis

The repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Anecdote

A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

Antecedent

A word, phrase, or clause that is referred to by a pronoun.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device that contrasts opposing ideas in a balanced manner.

Aphorism

A concise statement that expresses a general truth or principle.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.

Asyndeton

The omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which words or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

Conduplicatio

The repetition of a key word over successive phrases or clauses.

Colloquialism

A word or phrase that is not formal and is used in ordinary conversation.

Conceit

An elaborate metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things.

Didactic

Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction.

Enumeratio

The listing of details or a process in a sequence.

Expletive

A word or phrase that serves to fill a sentence but adds no meaning.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh.

Exposition

A comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

Homily

A religious discourse that is intended primarily for spiritual edification.

Hypophora

A figure of speech in which the speaker poses a question and then answers it.

Invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two elements close together to highlight their differences.

Litotes

A form of understatement that uses negation to express a positive.

Loose sentence

A sentence that is grammatically complete before its end.

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which one thing is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself but may nonetheless be true.

Parody

An imitation of a particular writer, artist, or genre, exaggerating it deliberately for comic effect.

Pedantic

Excessively concerned with minor details and rules.

Periodic sentence

A sentence that is not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase.

Polysyndeton

The use of several conjunctions in close succession.

Prose

Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock.

Subject complement

A word or phrase that follows a linking verb and renames or describes the subject.

Syllogism

A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole.

Wit

The ability to use words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor.