Poetic Devices

Terms	Definitions
Alliteration	the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or accented syllables
allusion	reference to a well-known place or thing
assonance	the repetition of vowel sounds in conjunction with dissimilar consonant sounds
connotation	an association that a word calls to mind in addition to the dictionary meaning
denotation	the objective meaning of a word, independent of other associations the word brings to mind
hyperbole	a deliberate exaggeration or overstatement, often used for comic effect
irony	a contrast between what is stated and what is meant or between what is expected to happen and what actually happens
metaphor	a figure of speech in which one thing is poken of as if it were another for comparison
personification	a figure of speech in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics
repetition	saying a word again and again, repeating a word
symbol	anything that stands for or represents something else
stanza	a group of lines in a poem that are considered to be a unit
rhyme scheme	a regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem
tone	a writer's attitude toward his or her subject, characters, or audience
consonance	the repetition of similar consonant sounds at the ends of words or the accented syllables
onomatopoeia	a word that sounds like what it means
simile	a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two subjects using "like" or "as"

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