Abbreviation - Broadening
A glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms, from ABBREVIATION to BROADENING. Click on a term for definitions, examples, word history, pronunciation guide, and links to related articles.
abbreviation
A shortened form of a word or phrase.
A shortened form of a word or phrase.
absolute adjective
An adjective with a meaning that is generally not capable of being intensified or compared.
An adjective with a meaning that is generally not capable of being intensified or compared.
absolute phrase
A group of words (often consisting of a participle and its subject) that modifies an independent clause as a whole.
A group of words (often consisting of a participle and its subject) that modifies an independent clause as a whole.
abstract noun
A noun that names an idea, a quality, or a concept.
A noun that names an idea, a quality, or a concept.
accismus
Coyness: a form of irony in which a person feigns a lack of interest in something that he or she actually desires.
Coyness: a form of irony in which a person feigns a lack of interest in something that he or she actually desires.
accumulation
Figure of speech in which a speaker or a writer gathers scattered points and lists them together.
Figure of speech in which a speaker or a writer gathers scattered points and lists them together.
accusative case
See objective case.
See objective case.
acronym
A word formed from the initial letters of a name or by combining initial letters of a series of words.
A word formed from the initial letters of a name or by combining initial letters of a series of words.
active voice
The verb form in which the subject of the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb.
The verb form in which the subject of the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb.
ad hominem
An argument based on the failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack.
An argument based on the failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack.
adjective
The part of speech that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
The part of speech that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
adjective clause
A dependent clause used as an adjective within a sentence.
A dependent clause used as an adjective within a sentence.
adverb
The part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
The part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
adverb clause
A dependent clause used as an adverb within a sentence.
A dependent clause used as an adverb within a sentence.
affix
A word element (morpheme)--usually a prefix or suffix--that can be attached to a base, stem, or root to form a new word.
A word element (morpheme)--usually a prefix or suffix--that can be attached to a base, stem, or root to form a new word.
a fortiori
An argument in which a rhetor reaches a conclusion by first setting up two possibilities, one of which is more probable than the other. Whatever can be affirmed about the less probable can be affirmed with even greater force about the more probable.
An argument in which a rhetor reaches a conclusion by first setting up two possibilities, one of which is more probable than the other. Whatever can be affirmed about the less probable can be affirmed with even greater force about the more probable.
agent
The person or thing that performs an action in a sentence.
The person or thing that performs an action in a sentence.
agrammatism
The pathological inability to use words in grammatical sequence.
The pathological inability to use words in grammatical sequence.
allegory
Extending a metaphor so that objects, persons, and actions in a text are equated with meanings that lie outside the text.
Extending a metaphor so that objects, persons, and actions in a text are equated with meanings that lie outside the text.
alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sound.
Repetition of initial consonant sound.
alphabet
The letters of a language, arranged in the order fixed by custom.
The letters of a language, arranged in the order fixed by custom.
allusion
A brief, usually indirect reference to a person, place, or event--real or fictional.
A brief, usually indirect reference to a person, place, or event--real or fictional.
ambiguity
The presence of two or more possible meanings in any passage.
The presence of two or more possible meanings in any passage.
amelioration
The upgrading or elevation of a word's meaning, as when a word with a negative sense develops a positive one.
The upgrading or elevation of a word's meaning, as when a word with a negative sense develops a positive one.
ampersand
The character or sign (&) representing the word "and."
The character or sign (&) representing the word "and."
amplification
General term for all of the ways that an argument, an explanation, or a description can be expanded and enriched.
General term for all of the ways that an argument, an explanation, or a description can be expanded and enriched.
anadiplosis
Repetition of the last word of one line or clause to begin the next.
Repetition of the last word of one line or clause to begin the next.
anagram
A type of word play in which a word or phrase is formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase.
A type of word play in which a word or phrase is formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase.
analogy
Reasoning or arguing from parallel cases.
Reasoning or arguing from parallel cases.
analysis
A form of expository writing in which the writer separates a subject into its elements or parts.
A form of expository writing in which the writer separates a subject into its elements or parts.
anaphora
Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses.
Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses.
anecdote
A short account of an interesting or humorous incident, intended to illustrate or support some point.
A short account of an interesting or humorous incident, intended to illustrate or support some point.
antanaclasis
One word used in two contrasting (and often comic) senses.
One word used in two contrasting (and often comic) senses.
antecedent
The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to.
The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to.
Anglo-Saxon
See Old English.
See Old English.
anthimeria
The use of one part of speech for another.
The use of one part of speech for another.
anticipation
General name for argumentative strategies whereby a speaker or writer foresees and replies to objections.
General name for argumentative strategies whereby a speaker or writer foresees and replies to objections.
anticlimax
An abrupt shift from a noble tone to a less exalted one--often for comic effect.
An abrupt shift from a noble tone to a less exalted one--often for comic effect.
antimetabole
A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the words reversed.
A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the words reversed.
antirrhesis
Rejecting an argument because of its insignificance, error, or wickedness.
Rejecting an argument because of its insignificance, error, or wickedness.
antistasis
Repetition of a word in a different or a contrary sense.
Repetition of a word in a different or a contrary sense.
antithesis
Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.
Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.
antonym
A word having a meaning opposite to that of another word.
A word having a meaning opposite to that of another word.
antonomasia
Substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to designate a member of a group or class.
Substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to designate a member of a group or class.
aphasia
Partial or total loss of the ability to articulate ideas or comprehend spoken or written language, resulting from damage to the brain caused by injury or disease.
Partial or total loss of the ability to articulate ideas or comprehend spoken or written language, resulting from damage to the brain caused by injury or disease.
aphesis
The gradual and unintentional loss of a short unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word.
The gradual and unintentional loss of a short unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word.
aphorism
(1) A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion. (2) A brief statement of a principle.
(1) A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion. (2) A brief statement of a principle.
apophasis
The mention of something in disclaiming intention of mentioning it--or pretending to deny what is really affirmed.
The mention of something in disclaiming intention of mentioning it--or pretending to deny what is really affirmed.
aporia
The expression of real or simulated doubt or perplexity.
The expression of real or simulated doubt or perplexity.
aposiopesis
An unfinished thought or broken sentence.
An unfinished thought or broken sentence.
apostrophe
(1) Mark of punctuation used to indicate possessive case or omission of a letter. (2) Rhetorical term for breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing.
(1) Mark of punctuation used to indicate possessive case or omission of a letter. (2) Rhetorical term for breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing.
apposition
Placing side-by-side two coordinate elements, the second of which serves as an explanation or modification of the first.
Placing side-by-side two coordinate elements, the second of which serves as an explanation or modification of the first.
appositive
A noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns used to identify or rename another noun, noun phrase, or pronoun.
A noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns used to identify or rename another noun, noun phrase, or pronoun.
argument
A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood.
A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood.
arrangement
The parts of a speech or the structure of a text.
The parts of a speech or the structure of a text.
article
A type of determiner that precedes a noun: "a," "an," and "the."
A type of determiner that precedes a noun: "a," "an," and "the."
artistic proofs
Proofs or means of persuasion taught specifically by the art of rhetoric.
Proofs or means of persuasion taught specifically by the art of rhetoric.
Asiatic
A prolix or highly ornamented style. Contrast with Attic.
A prolix or highly ornamented style. Contrast with Attic.
assonance
Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.
Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.
asyndeton
Omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses (opposite of "polysyndeton").
Omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses (opposite of "polysyndeton").
Attic
Brief, witty, sometimes epigrammatic style--opposite of the ornate Asiatic style.
Brief, witty, sometimes epigrammatic style--opposite of the ornate Asiatic style.
attributive adjective
An adjective that usually comes before the noun it modifies without a linking verb.
An adjective that usually comes before the noun it modifies without a linking verb.
audience
The intended readership for a piece of writing.
The intended readership for a piece of writing.
auxesis
A gradual increase in intensity of meaning with words arranged in ascending order of force or importance.
A gradual increase in intensity of meaning with words arranged in ascending order of force or importance.
auxiliary verb
A verb used with a base verb to make a verb phrase.
A verb used with a base verb to make a verb phrase.
back-formation
The process of forming a new word (a neologism) by extracting actual or supposed affixes from another word; shortened words created from longer words.
The process of forming a new word (a neologism) by extracting actual or supposed affixes from another word; shortened words created from longer words.
bafflegab
See "gobbledygook"
See "gobbledygook"
base form
The first- and second-person, singular, and the plural present-tense form of a verb.
The first- and second-person, singular, and the plural present-tense form of a verb.
base verb
The principal verb in a verb phrase made with an auxiliary.
The principal verb in a verb phrase made with an auxiliary.
bdelygmia
A litany of abuse--a series of critical epithets, descriptions, or attributes.
A litany of abuse--a series of critical epithets, descriptions, or attributes.
blend
A word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. See "portmanteau."
A word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. See "portmanteau."
boosting
An adverbial construction used to support a claim or express a viewpoint more assertively and convincingly.
An adverbial construction used to support a claim or express a viewpoint more assertively and convincingly.
borrowing
A word from one language adapted for use in another.
A word from one language adapted for use in another.
brainstorming
An invention and discovery strategy in which the writer collaborates with others to explore topics, develop ideas, or propose solutions to a problem.
An invention and discovery strategy in which the writer collaborates with others to explore topics, develop ideas, or propose solutions to a problem.
broadening
The process by which the meaning of a word becomes broader or more inclusive than its earlier meaning.
The process by which the meaning of a word becomes broader or more inclusive than its earlier meaning.