| Term | Definition |
|---|
| mono syllabic | one syllable |
| poly syllabic | multi syllable |
| euphonious | pleasant sounding |
| cacophonous | harsh sounding |
| literal | accurate without embellishment |
| figurative | comparison creating a pictorial effect |
| denotative | exact meaning |
| connotative | suggested, emotional meaning |
| objective | impersonal, unemotional |
| subjective | personal, emotional |
| active | states action |
| passive | states being |
| concrete | specific, tangible (practical, detail, facts) |
| abstract | conceptual, philosophical |
| hyperbole (overstated) | deliberate exaggeration of facts (impress) |
| understated | deliberate misrepresentation of less |
| pedestrian | layman's terms |
| pedantic | boorish, inflated language attempting to display importance |
| vulgarity | language deficient in taste and refinement; coarse, base |
| slang | vernacular speech sometimes humorous, exaggerated, or shortened for effect |
| colloquial | regional, provincial; differs from formal language in connotation, pronunciation, usage; accepted in informal conversation |
| jargon | specific to a field of profession |
| cliche | language used so often it has lost its freshness and clarity |
| informal/standard | correct, but conversational |
| formal (literate) | appropriate for more formal occasions; often more abstract |
| assonance | repetition of similar vowel sound in closely associated words |
| consonance | repetition of similar consonant sound in closely associated words (half rhyme) |
| alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sound in closely associated words |
| onomatopoeia | words whose pronunciation suggests meaning |
Combine with other sets
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