English terms

Allegory

 a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

Alliteration

the repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

Allusion

an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing based on the assumption that both the author and reader are familiar with what is being referenced

Anachronism

something or someone that is placed in a historical period where it does not belong

Analogy

a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification 

Cliche

a phrase that is overused or shows a lack of original thought

Colloquialism

a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically coming from specific area, used in ordinary conversatiom (also known as “slang”)

Euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one that is considered too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

Flashback

a scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story

Foreshadowing

provides hints, clues, or indications about what happens later in the story 

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

Imagery

visually descriptive of figurative language

Irony

the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect

Juxtaposition

placing two objects, images, ideas, or people together to create a certain effect or make a point

Metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that is not literally applicable

Motif

a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition

Onomatopoeia

the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named

Oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

Parody

an imitation of the style, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect 

Personification

the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman 

Simile

a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared

Symbolism

the use of a symbol, which can be a word or image, to communicate a distinct idea

Synecdoche

a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole