This page gathers the 362 dictionary entries of which at least one sense is labelled “Rhetoric” by Wiktionary. The definition shown is that sense; each word leads to its full entry. Page 1 of 4: from “a fortiori” to “cliché”.
- a fortiori adj With stronger or greater reason; as a corollary implied by a stronger claim; even more so; all the more so; so much the more.
- abecedarian noun A work which uses words or lines in alphabetical order.
- abominatio noun Bdelygmia.
- abscission noun A figure of speech employed when a speaker having begun to say a thing stops abruptly
- abusion noun Catachresis.
- adage noun An old saying which has been overused or considered a cliché; a trite maxim.
- addubitation noun aporia
- adianoeta noun An expression intended to be understood one way by part of the audience and in an opposing way by another part.
- adjournment noun Ampliatio.
- adjunct noun Symploce.
- adynaton noun A form of hyperbole that uses exaggeration so magnified as to express impossibility; an instance of such hyperbole.
- aetiologia noun Attributing a cause for a statement or claim made, often as a simple relative clause of explanation.
- affirmatio noun Making a statement as if it were in response to a question or were in dispute, especially when it is not.
- agnomination noun A paronomasia, or allusion of one word to another
- agonistic adj Argumentative; combative.
- alienans adj Negating, denying, modifying, or casting doubt on the applicability of its modificand.
- allegory noun The use of symbols which may be interpreted to reveal a hidden, broader message, usually a moral or political one, about real-world issues…
- ambage noun Evasive or ambiguous language; circumlocution.
- Americanism noun A word, phrase or linguistic feature originating from or specific to American English usage.
- amphibolgia noun A grammatical construction that can be interpreted in two or more different ways; an ambiguous or equivocal statement arising from word…
- amphidiorthosis noun A figure in which the speaker corrects or qualifies both what has been said and the hearer's potential reaction; a double correction that…
- ampliatio noun The use of an epithet for effect, when that epithet is not truly applicable to the referent.
- anacampsis noun A figure of speech in which the speaker returns to the original subject after a digression.
- anacephalaeosis noun A brief restatement or repetition of the principal heads or main points of an argument or discourse; a recapitulation, especially as used…
- anacoenosis noun A rhetorical device by which a speaker appeals to their hearers or opponents for their opinion on the point or matter in debate.
- anacoloutha noun A non-reciprocal synonym; a word of meaning similar to a word but that cannot substitute for that word in all uses.
- anacoluthon noun Intentional use of such a structure.
- anadiplosis noun A figure of speech in which a word or phrase used at the end of a clause or expression is repeated near the beginning of the next clause or…
- anamnesis noun The mention of the past; quotation of exemplary authors from memory to establish one’s authority.
- anantapodoton noun A rhetorical device in which a main clause is suggested by the introduction of a subordinate clause, but where the expression trails off.
- anaphora noun The repetition of a phrase at the beginning of phrases, sentences, or verses, used for emphasis.
- anastrophic adj Of or relating to an anastrophe; having an unusual word order.
- anesis noun Addition of a sentence, clause or phrase that diminishes what preceded.
- antanaclasis noun The repeated use of the same word or phrase, but with a different meaning each time; a kind of paronomasia.
- antanagoge noun Answering the charge of an adversary by a countercharge.
- anthimeria noun The use of a word from one word class or part of speech as if it were from another, in English typically the use of a noun as if it were a…
- anthropopeia noun Depiction or representation as human; anthropomorphism.
- anticipation noun Prolepsis.
- anticlimax noun An abrupt descent (either deliberate or unintentional) from the dignity of the idea which the speaker or writer appeared to be aiming for.
- antilogy noun A contradiction in related terms or ideas. Usually an inconsistency in syllogisms, of a person or group supposedly of one set of ideals.
- antimetabole noun The technique of repeating a phrase while reversing the order of certain elements or its grammatical structure, as a form of juxtaposition.
- antiphrasis noun Use of a word or phrase in a sense opposite of its literal meaning, especially for ironic or humorous effect.
- antistrophe noun The repetition of words in an inverse order.
- antithesis noun A device by which two contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in parallel form; a figure of speech arranged in this manner
- antonomasia noun The substitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun.
- aparithmesis noun The enumeration of parts or particulars.
- apheresis noun Elision, suppression, or complete loss of a letter or sound (syllable) from the beginning of a word, such as the development of special…
- aphorismus noun A figure of speech that questions whether a word is properly used, as in "How can you call yourself a man?".
- apokoinou noun A blending of two sentences through a common word which has two syntactic functions, one for each of the sentences. The word common to both…
- apologue noun The use of fable to persuade the audience.
- apophasis noun An allusion to something by denying that it will be mentioned.
- aporia noun An expression of deliberation with oneself regarding uncertainty or doubt as to how to proceed.
- apostrophe noun A sudden exclamatory piece of dialogue addressed to someone or something, especially absent.
- apostrophic adj Pertaining to the rhetoric use of, or using, apostrophe (sudden, exclamatory dialogue).
- apostrophically adv Using apostrophe; with sudden exclamatory dialogue.
- appeal noun a use of a principle or quality for purposes of persuasion.
- appeal to authority noun Deeming an assertion to be true because of the position or the authority of the person asserting it.
- apposition noun Appositio, the addition of an element not syntactically required.
- argumentum ad consequentiam noun A logical fallacy in which a statement is determined to be true or false based on whether it would be pleasant or desirable, rather than…
- argumentum ad crumenam noun The logical fallacy of concluding that a proposition is correct because the person advancing it is rich.
- argumentum ad dictionarium noun An argument citing a dictionary definition as the proper and correct usage, and claiming that an excluded usage must be incorrect.
- argumentum ad fidem noun A fallacious argument that asserts the truth of a proposition by an appeal to pious testimony or religious revelation.
- argumentum ad hominem noun A type of fallacious argument in which the attempt is made to refute a theory or belief by discrediting the person(s) who advocate that…
- argumentum ad Lazarum noun An appeal to poverty; the logical fallacy of thinking a conclusion is correct because the speaker is poor.
- argumentum ad passiones noun An appeal or argument intended to convince the listener(s) by agitating the emotions, rather than by appealing to sober judgment.
- argumentum ad populum noun A fallacious argument that concludes a proposition to be true because many or all people believe it; it alleges that “if many believe so…
- armenism noun A word or other feature originating in the Armenian language that has been borrowed by another language.
- assumption noun Assumptio.
- asteismus noun Witty dialog or response.
- asyndesis noun Synonym of asyndeton: lack or omission of conjunctions, especially for rhetorical effect.
- asyndetic adj Of, related to, or characterized by asyndeton, lacking conjunctions or purposefully omitting conjunctions.
- asyndetically adv Expressed without conjunctions or with conjunctions purposefully omitted.
- aureate adj Of language: characterized by the use of (excessively) ornamental or grandiose terms, often of Latin or French origin.
- aureation noun The enhancement of the seriousness of a topic by the use of elaborate circumlocutions or polysyllabic or Latinate words for it.
- auxesis noun Overstatement, hyperbole.
- bdelygmia noun A litany of invective criticism.
- Belorussianism noun An expression or characteristic peculiar to the Belarusian language.
- Bengalism noun A word or idiom of the Bengali language used in another language, especially for literary effect.
- Bohemianism noun A word or phrase characteristic of the Bohemian language.
- bomphiologia noun Exaggeration done in a self-aggrandizing manner, as a braggart; pompous, bombastic speech wherein small or trivial things are described…
- brachylogy noun Any of several forms of omission of words, including the omission of an understood part of a phrase, as, the omission of "good" from…
- Britishism noun A word, phrase, idiom, or expression peculiar to the English language as spoken in Britain.
- Bulgarism noun A Bulgarian idiom or turn of phrase.
- bullshit noun Statements that are intentionally misleading, whether true or not.
- but who's counting phrase Used as a retort or comeback, often to deprecate oneself or another for excessive concern or attention to detail.
- cacozelia noun A stylistic affectation of diction, such as throwing in foreign words to appear learned.
- caesura noun A pause or interruption in a poem, music, building, or other work of art.
- Canadianism noun A word or phrase that originated in Canada, or has special meaning in Canada.
- catachresis noun A misapplication or overextension of a figurative or analogical description; a wrongly applied metaphor or trope.
- catachresized adj Of a metaphor or trope, that has been incorrectly applied.
- catacosmesis noun A descending order from best, greatest, etc. to worst, lowest, etc.
- Catalanism noun A word or phrase typically used in Catalan-speaking areas.
- cataphora noun The use of a pronoun, or other linguistic unit, before the noun phrase to which it refers, sometimes used for rhetorical effect.
- cataplexis noun A rhetorical device in which a threat of retribution (especially of divine punishment) is made in response to wrongdoing.
- catastasis noun The part of a speech that states the subject to be discussed.
- cherry-pick verb To select only evidence which supports an argument, and reject or ignore contradictory evidence.
- chironomy noun The art of using effective hand gestures, especially (historical) in Greco-Roman contexts.
- chronographia noun Vivid representation of a certain historical or recurring time (such as a season) to create an illusion of reality.
- Ciceronian adj Eloquent, resembling Cicero’s style.
- cliché noun Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and…