Poetry Terms

Allegory

A story with a hidden moral or theme, where all characters and elements represent a greater idea.

Alliteration

The repetition of words starting with the same letter in a row, such as "Amazingly abstract art."

Allusion

An indirect or implied reference to something else.

Ambiguity

When a line or phrase can be interpreted in multiple ways, allowing the reader to apply their own meaning.

Analogy

A comparison between two things to better explain the lesser known subject.

Anapest

A metrical foot consisting of two short syllables followed by one long syllable.

Apostrophe

When the author of a poem addresses a subject that is not alive.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in words.

Blank Verse

Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Cacophony

Words that sound harsh and choppy, used to create a loud and bold effect.

Caesura

A pause or break within a line of poetry.

Cliche

An overused phrase that has lost its original meaning.

Connotation

The implied meaning or emotional association of a word, often positive or negative.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in words.

Dactyl

A metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

Enjambment

When a line of poetry breaks in an unnatural spot or continues without punctuation.

Euphony

Pleasant and melodious sound in language or poetry.

Free Verse

Poetry that does not follow a specific rhyme or meter pattern.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration used to emphasize a point.

Iamb

A metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two subjects without using "like" or "as."

Metonymy

A figure of speech where a word is replaced by something closely associated with it.

Paradox

A statement or situation that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth.

Octave

A stanza or poem consisting of eight lines.

Onomatopoeia

The use of words that imitate sounds, like "crash" or "boom."

Oxymoron

A figure of speech where two contradictory words or ideas are combined.

Personification

Giving human characteristics to non-human or inanimate objects.

Pun

A play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds of words.

Sestet

A stanza or poem consisting of six lines.

Simile

A comparison between two subjects using "like" or "as."

Symbol

An object that represents and adds meaning to something else.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa.

Trochee

A metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable.