Speech or writing that praises or blames.

See epideictic: persuasion that deals with values that bring a group together; the rhetoric of ceremony, commemoration, declamation, demonstration, play, and display.

President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address has been described as a prose poem, a prayer, and "the world’s foremost statement of freedom and democracy and the sacrifices required to achieve and defend them."

The study and practice of effective communication.

A glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms, from DANGLING MODIFIER to DYSPHEMISM. Click on a term for definitions, examples, word history, pronunciation guide, and links to related articles.

This quiz should help you to understand, distinguish, and remember many of the rhetorical terms in our glossary.

Brief definitions of 130 figures of speech and other rhetorical terms with links to expanded discussions and examples.