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 2 of 4: from “climax” to “hypobole”.
- climax noun The final term of a rhetorical climax.
- colon noun A rhetorical figure consisting of a clause which is grammatically, but not logically, complete.
- comma noun In Ancient Greek rhetoric, a short clause, something less than a colon, originally denoted by comma marks. In antiquity it was defined as a…
- committed adj Required by logic to endorse the conclusion of an argument.
- communication noun A trope by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says "we" instead of "I" or "you".
- comparison noun A simile.
- conceit noun An ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device.
- conceited adj Having an ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device.
- concession noun An admission of the validity of an opponent's point in order to build an argument upon it or to move on to another of greater importance…
- contrast noun Antithesis.
- Croatism noun A word or other feature originating from or characteristic of the Croatian language.
- cum hoc ergo propter hoc noun The logical fallacy of assuming that two events that occur at the same time have a cause-and-effect relationship.
- Czechism noun A word or idiom of the Czech language (that has been borrowed by another language).
- decussate adj Consisting of two rising and two falling clauses, placed in alternate opposition to each other.
- deesis noun A call to witness.
- device noun A technique that an author or speaker uses to evoke an emotional response in the audience; a rhetorical device.
- diaeresis noun A division, a separation.
- diaeretic adj Separative.
- dialecticism noun The quality of being dialectic.
- dialysis noun The spelling out of alternatives, or presenting of either-or arguments that lead to a conclusion.
- diastole noun The lengthening of a vowel or syllable beyond its typical length.
- diatyposis noun A document consisting of rules to live by for one's audience or for posterity.
- dilemma noun Offering to an opponent a choice between two (equally unfavorable) alternatives.
- dirimens copulatio noun Mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one-sided or unqualified.
- distribution noun A rhetorical technique in which a subject is divided into multiple cases based on some property or properties, and each case is addressed…
- diverb noun An antithesis.
- do you need an invitation phrase Used to mock or criticize someone for being slow, hesitant, or oblivious to something that is clearly expected of them.
- does Macy's tell Gimbel's phrase A rhetorical question with the implied answer being that competitors do not share business secrets with one another.
- does someone look like phrase Used if the interlocutor seems to believe something inaccurate about (someone); this question serves to free someone of a misconception.
- dormitive principle noun A type of tautology in which an item is explained in terms of the item itself, only put in different (usually more abstract) words.
- dormitive virtue noun A type of tautology in which an item is explained in terms of the item itself, only put in different (usually more abstract) words.
- double entendre noun A phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo.
- double negative noun A phrase including two negative words (no, not, never, etc.) especially when used as intensifiers in informal English.
- duilian noun a pair of content-related lines with same number of characters, same part of speech in each corresponding word, inverse tone patterns in…
- ecbole noun A digression, (especially) one in which a person is introduced speaking his or her own words.
- ecphonesis noun Exclamation.
- ecthlipsis noun The dropping out or suppression of a consonant from a word, with or without a vowel.
- eidolopoeia noun A rhetorical technique in which a speech is attributed to a deceased person, a phantom, an image or an idol.
- ekphrasis noun A clear, intense, self-contained argument or verbal description of an object, especially of an artwork.
- elenchus noun A technique of argument associated with Socrates wherein the arguer asks the interlocutor to agree with a series of premises and…
- ellipsis noun The omission of a word or phrase that can be inferred from the context.
- enallage noun Transformation from one grammatically correct form to another.
- enantiosis noun A figure of speech by which what is to be understood affirmatively is stated negatively, and vice versa; affirmation by contraries.
- encomium noun A general category of oratory.
- energic adj Having great power of expression; forceful.
- enthymeme noun A by and large statement, a maxim, an argument that is intended to be generally true and not apply to every case universally.
- epanadiplosis noun A figure of speech by which the same word is used both at the beginning and at the end of a sentence.
- epanodos noun The repetition of a sequence of words or phrases in reverse order.
- epanorthosis noun A rhetorical device or element in which a speaker or writer retracts a word that has been spoken and substitutes a stronger or more…
- epenthesis noun The insertion of a phoneme, letter, or syllable into a word, usually to satisfy the phonological constraints of a language or poetic…
- epichirema noun A syllogism in which the proof of the major or minor premise, or both, is introduced with the premises themselves, and the conclusion is…
- epichireme noun A dialectical inference; a syllogism based on probable premises (endoxa), as opposed to a philosopheme which is a demonstrative or…
- epicrisis noun A quotation followed by a commentary.
- epiphora noun epistrophe
- epiplexis noun A rhetorical device where a sequence of rhetorical questions is used to criticise or blame, or more generally, to elicit an emotional…
- epiploce noun A figure of speech by which one striking circumstance is added, in due gradation, to another; escalation to a climax.
- epistrophe noun The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences.
- epistrophic adj Pertaining to epistrophe.
- epitasis noun The addition of a concluding sentence that merely emphasizes what has already been stated.
- epitherapeia noun A sentence added at the end of a statement to heal, soften, mitigate, or modify what has been said, so that modesty or other feeling might…
- epitrope noun A figure by which permission is either seriously or ironically granted to someone to do what he or she proposes to do, e.g. He that is…
- epizeugma noun A type of zeugma in which a single verb governs two or more clauses or phrases, placed either at the very beginning or the very end of the…
- ethopoeia noun A rhetorical technique in which the speaker or author presents an imaginary speech by a real person, portraying that person's known…
- ethos noun A form of rhetoric in which the writer or speaker invokes their authority, competence or expertise in an attempt to persuade others that…
- eunoia noun Goodwill towards an audience, either perceived or real; the perception that the speaker has the audience's interest at heart.
- euphuism noun An ornate style of writing (in Elizabethan England) marked by the excessive use of alliteration, antithesis and mythological similes.
- exemplum noun A story demonstrating a moral point; a parable.
- exergasia noun Restatement, a form of parallelism where an idea is repeated and the only change is in the way it is stated.
- exord noun A preface or prefatory passage.
- extenuation noun A figure in which a term is used which, in contrast with the more fitting term it supplants, understates or seeks to diminish the…
- exuscitatio noun A figure of speech involving the stirring of the listeners or audience by employing a vehement feeling in order to elicit an emotional…
- false cause noun The fallacy of stating as a cause what is not actually the cause; the fallacy of non causa pro causa.
- false dichotomy noun A situation in which two alternative points of view are presented as the only options, when others are available.
- figure of speech noun A word or phrase that intentionally deviates from ordinary language use to produce a rhetorical effect.
- foreignism noun A trait, custom, phrase or characteristic typical of a foreign country or language.
- Frenchism noun A word, phrase or linguistic feature typical of French.
- Gaelicism noun A word or phrase characteristic of Gaelic.
- Gallicism noun A loanword borrowed from French.
- Germanism noun A word or idiom of the German language (that has been borrowed by another language).
- graecismus noun Use of Greek words and examples.
- Grecism noun A word or idiom of the Greek language used in another language, especially for literary effect.
- handwave verb To explain something superficially, skipping over important details, perhaps appealing to intuition instead.
- Hebraism noun A characteristic trait of the Hebrew language. By extension it is sometimes applied to the Jewish people or their faith, national ideology…
- Hellenism noun A Greek idiom or turn of phrase.
- hendiadys noun A figure of speech used for emphasis, where two words joined by and are used to express a single complex idea.
- Hispanism noun A Spanish word, phrase or idiom used in another language.
- homeosis noun Usage of similitude in rhetoric; drawing a conclusion from similarity of two objects of study.
- homeoteleuton noun The repetition of endings in words; near rhyme.
- homoeoprophoron noun The repetition of the same consonant sound, especially at the beginning of neighboring words; essentially, extreme or faulted alliteration.
- homoioptoton noun A rhetorical figure in which the several parts of a sentence end with the same case, or inflection generally.
- how about that phrase A general statement of surprise or bemusement with regard to a particular event.; isn't that good, or unexpected, etc.
- how do you like them apples phrase A question directed jestingly or mockingly at someone who has received surprising information, ridiculing or making light of the situation.
- how long is a piece of string phrase Used as a response to a question such as "How long will it take?" or "How big is it?" when the length or size is unknown, infinite…
- human shield noun Third parties used cynically to divert attention away from accusations against oneself.
- Hungarianism noun A word or idiom of the Hungarian language (that has been borrowed by another language).
- hypallage noun The use of a grammatical modifier which syntactically modifies an item other than the one it belongs to semantically, generating a…
- hyperbaton noun Adding a word or thought to a sentence that is already semantically complete, thus drawing emphasis to the addition.
- hyperbole noun Deliberate or unintentional overstatement, particularly extreme overstatement.
- hyperzeuxis noun The opposite of hypozeuxis; a figure in which multiple clauses share a single subject or predicate, often considered a form of zeugma or…
- hypobole noun A rhetorical figure in which several things are mentioned that seem to make claims against the argument, or in favor of the opposing side…