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Weird Word Wednesdays: Three Literary Terms that Start with A

For today’s Weird Word Wednesday, let’s look at three literary terms that start with A: anthropomorphism, antonomasia, and asyndeton.

Here’s what www.merriam-webster (unabridged edition) says about these words:

anthropomorphism

Pronunciation: [ ˌan(t)-thrə-pə-ˈmȯr-ˌfi-zəm ]

Part of speech: Noun

Definition: An interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics; personification.

Origin: Late Latin and English

“Anthropomorphism.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/anthropomorphism. Accessed 30 Apr. 2023.

antonomasia

Pronunciation: [ ˌan-tə-nō-ˈmā-zh(ē-)ə ]

Part of speech: Noun

Definition: Substituting another designation for a common, obvious, or normal one or giving a proper name (as to a character in fiction) that names or suggests a leading quality.

Origin: Latin, from Greek.

“Antonomasia.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/antonomasia. Accessed 30 Apr. 2023.

asyndeton

Pronunciation: [ ə-ˈsin-də-ˌtän ]

Part of speech: Noun

Definition: Omission of the conjunctions that ordinarily join coordinate words or clauses.

Origin: Late Latin, from Greek.

“Asyndeton.” Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/asyndeton. Accessed 30 Apr. 2023.

Posted in Pamela, Weird Word Wednesdays