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AP English Literature and Composition Poetry Vocabulary
accent
emphasis or stress placed on a syllable in a word
alliteration
repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words (usually at the beginning) (she sells sea shells by the seashore)
allusion
indirect or passing reference to an event, person, place, or artistic work
ambiguity
a word, phrase, or statement with multiple possible meanings
apostrophe
a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses someone absent, dead, or nonhuman as if it were present and capable of responding
assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a line or verse (the rain in spain falls mainly on the plain)
ballad
a narrative poem (often of folk origin) intended to be sung that tells a story (often about adventure, romance, or tragedy)
ballad stanza
four-line stanza with an alternating rhyme scheme (usually ABCB) and alternating lines of four and three beats
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter (commonly used in english dramatic, epic, and reflective verse)
cacophony
use of harsh, jarring, and discordant sounds to convey a particular emotion or tone
caesura
a pause or break within a line of poetry anywhere within the line
connotation
a word’s implied or associative meaning behind its literal definition
consonance
repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of nearby words (the lumpy, bumpy road)
couplet
two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme
heroic couplet
a rhymed pair of lines in iambic pentameter, often in epic and narrative poetry
diction
the choice and use of words in writing or speech
elegy
a mournful, reflective poem lamenting the death of a person or reflecting on a tragic theme
end-stopped line
a line of poetry that ends with a natural pause (usually marked by punctuation)
enjambment
the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line
epic
a long narrative poem typically about heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation
epigram
a short, witty, and often satirical poem usually conveying a single thought or observation
euphony
the use of pleasant, harmonious, and smooth sounds in language often created by the combination of vowels and soft consonants to produce an appealing effect
foot
the basic unit of measurement in poetry consisting of a specific pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
iambic foot
a foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (de-LIGHT)
trochaic foot
a foot with a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (TA-ble)
dactylic foot
a foot with a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (HAP-pi-ly)
anapestic foot
a foot with two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (un-der-STAND)
form
the structure or organization of a poem that provides a framework for its content and style (sonnet, haiku, free verse)
free verse
poetry that does not follow a fixed meter or rhyme scheme, allowing for line length and rhythm flexibility
hyperbole
an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect
iambic pentameter
a line of poetry with five iambs (ten syllables) often in english verse (especially in shakespearean plays)
imagery / image
descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates mental pictures
lyric
a type of poetry that expresses personal thoughts, emotions, and feelings in a musical or song-like style
metaphor
a figure or speech that directly compares two unlike things without the use of like or as
standard metaphor
a straightforward comparison (time is a thief)
implied metaphor
a metaphor that suggests a comparison without directly stating it (the wind whispered)
extended metaphor
a metaphor that is developed over several lines or throughout a poem
dead metaphor
a metaphor so commonly used it lost its impact (the foot of the hill)
mixed metaphor
a combination of incompatible metaphors (often unintentionally humorous)
meter
the rhythmic structure of a poem determined by the number and type of feet in each line
metonymy
a figure of speech in which a thing is referred to by something closely associated with it (“the white house” for the u.s. government)
narrative poem
a type of poem that tells a story, often with characters, dialogue, and a plot
octave
an eight-line stanza or the first eight lines of an italian sonnet, typically with an ABBAABBA rhyme scheme
ode
a formal, often ceremonious lyric poem that addresses and praises a person, place, thing, or idea
onomatopoeia
words that imitate natural sounds associated with their meaning (buzz, bang, hiss)
oxymoron
a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms (jumbo shrimp, deafening silence)
paradox
a statement that appears self-contradictory of illogical but reveals a deeper truth upon reflection (less is more)
parody
a humorous imitation of a serious work or style, often exaggerating characteristics for comic effect (snl skits)
persona
the voice or character adopted by the poet, speaker, or writer, often distinct from the author’s own personal voice
personification
a figure of speech that gives human qualities, emotions, or actions to animals, objects, or abstract ideas
prosody
the study of the rhythm, meter, and sound of poetry including patterns of stress, intonation, and the structure of verse
pun
a play of words that exploits multiple meanings of a word or similar-sounding words for a humorous or rhetorical effect
quatrain
a stanza or poem consisting of four lines, often with a specific rhyme scheme (ABAB or AABB)
rhyme
the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, especially at the end of lines
slant rhyme
a rhyme where sounds are similar but not identical (bridge and grudge)
masculine rhyme
a rhyme involving single-syllable words or where the final stressed syllable is matched (cat and hat)
feminine rhyme
a rhyme involving two syllables, where the first syllable is stressed and the second is unstressed (rattle and battle)
end rhyme
a rhyme that occurs at the end of lines in a poem
internal rhyme
a rhyme that occurs within a single line of poetry
rhythm
the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry, creating a flowing sound
scansion
the analysis of a poem’s meter, marking the stressed and unstressed syllables to identify its rhythmic structure
sestet
a six-line stanza or the final six lines of an italian sonnet
sestina
a complex, structured 39-line poem composed of six six-line stanzas and a three-line envoi, using repeated end words in a fixed pattern
simile
a figure of speech that directly compares two different things using like or as (as brave as a lion)
sonnet
a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter
english or shakespearean sonnet
a sonnet composed of three quatrains and a final couplet with a shyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, usually in iambic pentameter
italian or petrarchan sonnet
a sonnet divided into an octave and a sestet, typically with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave and various patterns for the sestet
spondee
a foot with two stressed syllables in a row (heartbreak)
stanza
a group of lines in a poem, set off by a space, that forms a unit similar to a paragraph in prose
stress
the emphasis placed on certain syllables or words in poetry or speech
symbol
an object, character, figure, or color used to represent an abstract idea or concept
synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa (wheels for car)
tercet
a three-line stanza, often with a rhyme scheme, as in a haiku or the terza rima form
terza rima
a three-line stanza form with an interlocking rhyme scheme (ABA BCB CDC)
understatement
a figure of speech in which a statement is made with less strength or emphasis than is appropriate, often for ironic effect
villanelle
a 19-line poem with a specific structure of five tercets followed by a quatrain, with two repeating refrains and a rhyme scheme of ABA
pastoral
a type of poem that idealizes rural life and landscapes, often focusing on the simplicity and beauty of nature
romanticism
a literary and artistic movement emphasizing emotion individualism, nature, and the imagination over reason and societal norms
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