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.