Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
Alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sounds
Allusion
A reference to another work of literature, person, or event
Ambiguity
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage
Anadiplosis
repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them
Anaphora
repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines
Anecdote
a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Antecedent
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun
Antistrophe
repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses
Antithesis
the direct opposite, a sharp contrast
Aphorism
A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life
Apostrophe
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love
Archaism
The use of deliberately old-fashioned language
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds
Asyndeton
A construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions
Atmosphere
The mood or feeling created in a piece of writing
Balanced Sentence
a sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast
Cacophony
A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Catachresis
a harsh metaphor involving the use of a word beyond its strict sphere
Chiasmus
A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
Clause
A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb
colloquial/colloquialism
The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing
Coherence
quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme, or organizing principle
Conceit
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects
Connotation
an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning
Consonance
Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity