| Term | Definition |
|---|
| adianoeta | An expression that, in addition to an obvious meaning, carries a second, subtle meaning (often at variance with the ostensible meaning). |
| antanaclasis | homonymic pun |
| antapodosis | a simile in which the objects compared correspond in several respects |
| periphrasis | The substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name (a species of circumlocution); or, conversely, the use of a proper name as a shorthand to stand for qualities associated with it. |
| asteismus | Polite or genteel mockery. More specifically, a figure of reply in which the answerer catches a certain word and throws it back to the first speaker with an unexpected twist. |
| cacemphaton | An expression that is deliberately either foul (such as crude language) or ill-sounding (such as from excessive alliteration). |
| icon | painting resemblance by imagery |
| meiosis | Reference to something with a name disproportionately lesser than its nature (a kind of litotes). |
| metalepsis | Reference to something by means of another thing that is remotely related to it, either through a farfetched causal relationship, or through an implied intermediate substitution of terms. |
| metonymy | Reference to something or someone by naming one of its attributes. |
| paronomasia | Using words that sound alike but that differ in meaning (punning). |
| schematismus | Concealing a meaning by using figurative language, either out of necessity or for humor's sake. |
| synecdoche | A whole is represented by naming one of its parts (genus named for species), or vice versa (species named for genus). |
| tapinosis | Giving a name to something which diminishes it in importance. |
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