Literary Terms

Absolute

A word free from limitations or qualifications (“best,” “all,” “unique",” “perfect”)

Adage

A familiar proverb or wise saying

Ad nominee argument

An argument attacking an individual’s character rather than his or her position on an issue.

Allegory

A literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words.

Allusion

A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.

Analogy

A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.

Anaphora

The repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences.

Anecdote

A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.