Poetic Terms/Devices Definitions
Denotative: The exact meaning of a word or the exact
definition. i.e: star: heavenly bodies seen as small
fixed points of light in the night sky.
Connatative: Connotation = meaning in context or a
secondary meaning i.e.: star: successful. Bright,
hopeful, desire
Tone: Author's attitude towards his/her work i.e. see
POL lists
Mood: The atmosphere of a piece of work. Setting, tone,
voice, style, and themes all contribute to mood. 1.e.
Edgar A. Poe's work is gloomy.
Stanzas: Grouping of lines in a poem. Types: Free
verse. Ballads, sonnet, limerick, ode, haiku.
Figurative Language: Using language (syntax) to create
vivid expression and ideas.
Imagery: The use of pictures, figures of speech, or
description to evoke action, ideas, objects, or
characters.
Euphonious: Pleasing combination of sound and rhythm.
Often can include rhyme schemes.
Cacophonous: Harsh sounding, choppy, ill-sounding, and
unpleasant. i.e. E. A. Poe's "The Bells."
Personification: Human qualities to inanimate objects.
Onomatopoeia: Words that sound like they are said. i.e.
sizzle, bow-wow, slap
Allusion: Touching lightly upon a subject in a literary
work, a brief reference, implied or explicit, to a well
known character, event, place, or another artistic
work. i.e.: R. Frost's "The Road Not Taken." Symbolic
meaning through the importance of the decision that
needs to be made. i.e. James Joyce's Ulysses mirrors
Homer's Odyssey.
Internal Rhyme: Rhymes within the same line of the
poem.
Oxymoron: A phrase made up of opposite meanings. i.e.
Passive aggressive.
Colloquial Language: Slang or informal language. Lowlevel/everyday vocabulary. i.e. "Hold on a minute."
"Word."
Similes: Uses like or as to make a comparison
Metaphors: Doesn't use like or as to make a comparison.
i.e. writing is a sweaty occupation (adj). My rose
(n). Billy's tummy is a pink balloon.
Diction: arrangement of language to create
Alliteration: Rhyme/repetition of consonants i.e.
mast/mist.
Assonance: Rhyming of vowels. i.e. Stay/fray.