Definition of alliteration written for english language learners from the merriamwebster learners dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and countnoncount noun labels. Learn more in the cambridge englishspanish dictionary. Alliteration is one of several aural devices in literature making use of the repetition of single sounds or groups of sounds. The use of vowel sounds to convey meaning in a text the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or, less commonly, within words. Oxford dictionary of literary terms oxford reference. Manual meaning in the cambridge english dictionary read online at. Alliteration definition and meaning collins english dictionary. This is the british english pronunciation of alliteration. For over 20 years, has been helping millions of people improve their use of the english language with its free digital services. One use of alliteration is to place emphasis on the words which all start with the same sound. An aide at alleviating all alliterative aspirations. Translation for alliteration in the free englishrussian dictionary and many other russian translations.
Wisewordsalliterationintheiq758932020 adobe acrobat. Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are in close proximity to each other. Cambridge dictionaries for windows 10 free download and. The phenomenon of the repetition of wordinitial sounds to give a simple definition of alliteration is a widespread one, found in a significant variety of languages and texttypes, but rarely has it been itself the focus of study. The routledge dictionary of literary terms the routledge dictionary of literary termsis a twentyfirst century update of roger fowlers seminal dictionary of modern critical terms. Probably the most powerful rhythmic and thematic uses of alliteration are contained in beowulf, written in anglosaxon and one of the earliest english poems extant. The repetition of identical or similar sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in on scrolls of silver snowy sentences. Bringing together original entries written by such celebrated theorists as terry eagleton and malcolm bradbury. Alliteration also known as head rhyme, initial rhyme, or front rhyme is a device in written and spoken languages in which a string of words and phrases repeats the same letter or letter combinations. Alliteration is a literary device where each word in a string of words starts with the same consonant as opposed to assonance, in which a vowel sound is repeated.
Alliteration has developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to the poems meter, are stressed, as in james thomsons verse comedragging the lazy languid line along. Alliteration examples and definition of alliteration. Seel alliteration dictionary byu mckay school of education. I will show you possible questions and answer points on the anvil and the hammer basically, you will discover how the persona views his african tradition in the poem. Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles. Alliteration and sound change in early english donka. You can translate the dictionary words into your native language. Alliteration definition and meaning collins english. Alliterative prose article about alliterative prose by the. Alliterative definition and meaning collins english dictionary.
Our goal is cover the entire english dictionary, words starting with a to words starting with z. This app contains cambridge dictionaries in which you can search english grammar, an indispensable reference guide to contemporary english grammar and usage. Alliteration definition, the commencement of two or more stressed syllables of a word group either with the same consonant sound or sound group consonantal alliteration, as in from stem to stern, or with a vowel sound that may differ from syllable to syllable vocalic alliteration, as in each to all. Alliteration in spanish translate english to spanish. Dr baldick is a brewer for specialized tastes times literary supplementthe bestselling oxford dictionary of literary terms formerly the concise dictionary provides clear, concise, and often witty definitions of the most troublesome literary terms from abjection to zeugma. Audio pronunciations, verb conjugations, quizzes and more. Alliterative definition and meaning collins english. Alliteration is an effective literary device where consonant sounds are repeated in nearby words for emphasis or effect. Use this synonym finder to find alliterative synonyms. Author tagaloglang posted on september 10, 2018 september 10, 2018 categories tagalogenglish dictionary leave a. The n injas gn ashed their kn ives and n ailed their targets.
This is the british english definition of alliteration. Definition of alliteration merriamwebsters student. Use our dictionary to check the spelling definitions of words. Alliteration definition of alliteration by merriamwebster. The dictionary currently includes 155,327 entries words and collocations, 117,597 senses and 207,016 wordsense pairs. The analysis draws on phonetically based optimalitytheoretic models. Dictionary, encyclopedia and thesaurus the free dictionary. For such rough and ready alliteration a special dictionary would hardly be needed. Learn more in the cambridge englishfrench dictionary.
View american english pronunciation of alliteration. Alliteration noun the noun alliteration has 1 sense 1. Change your default dictionary to american english. This dictionarys virtues and its plainspokenness make it. It is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series.
How to pronounce alliteration in english cambridge dictionary. Alliterations article about alliterations by the free. It is quite often believed to be nothing else than the repetition of wordinitial sounds, especially consonants. Alliterative prose, prose that uses alliteration and some of the techniques of alliterative verse. The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words immediately succeeding each other, or at short intervals. It is listed as the longest palindromic word in the oxford english dictionary. Alliteration is the use in speech or writing of several words close together that all begin with the same letter or sound. Examples of alliteration using the n, gn, and kn sounds. In case you cant understand what the other definitions are saying, alliteration is a literary technique where words with similar primary sounds are repeated. Definition and synonyms of alliteration from the online english dictionary from macmillan education. Alliteration is a term to describe a literary device in which a series of words begin with the same consonant sound.
We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage. English alliterative verse tells the story of the medieval poetic tradition that includes beowulf, piers plowman, and sir gawain and the green knight, stretching from the eighth century, when english poetry first appeared in manuscripts, to the sixteenth century, when alliterative poetry ceased to be composed. I k new that shed be a n atural at kn eading the n oodle dough. In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of a series of words or phrases. Alliterative title synonyms, alliterative title pronunciation, alliterative title translation, english dictionary definition of alliterative title. Wisewordsalliterationintheiq758932020 adobe acrobat reader dcdownload adobe. Learn more in the cambridge englishchinese simplified dictionary.
In poems, alliteration can also refer to repeated consonant sound in the stressed syllables of a line. Chamberss etymological dictionary of the english language. English alliterative verse by eric weiskott cambridge core. Alliteration and sound change in early english donka minkova this study uses evidence from early english poetry to determine when certain sound changes. Definition of alliteration merriamwebsters student dictionary. From longman dictionary of contemporary english related topics. Learn english words alliteration meaning, vocabulary. In a sense the international study of alliteration is only now beginning. An aide at alleviating all alliteration aspirations. This repetition of sounds brings attention to the lines in which it is used, and creates more aural rhythm. Definition of alliteration noun in oxford advanced learners dictionary.
The price includes appetizer, main course, and dessert. Similarly, alliteration has been used in the line as the surf surged up the sun swept shore. Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers is a memorable tonguetwister taught to english. Oxford paperback dictionary, offers a basic but sufficient indication of the essential. And as an aside, that alliteration was, sadly, not mine that of a former political correspondent of the.
Alliteration definition for englishlanguage learners from. The dictionary by merriamwebster is americas most trusted online dictionary for english word definitions, meanings, and pronunciation. Alliteration is the use in speech or writing of several words close together which all. Listen to the audio pronunciation in the cambridge english dictionary. Not every word in the phrase needs to start with the same consonant sound to create alliteration, but there must be at least two words near each other for alliteration to be effective. It was the worlds first statesubsidised theatre since 1925 and played an important role in the development of irish drama and dramatists in the 20th century abolitionist literature. They are very kind to me, replies xenia sabaroff, in english which has absolutely no foreign accent.
A coined tagalog word for alliteration is paripantig. Alliterative definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Alliteration is meant to be more than a tongue twister, though. Notable examples are from old english and middle english, including works by the anglosaxon writer aelfric and the socalled katherine group of five middle english devotional. Donka minkova, alliteration and sound change in early english cambridge studies in linguistics 101.
Is the national theatre of ireland and is located in dublin. Alliteration definition is the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables such as wild and woolly, threatening throngs called also head rhyme, initial rhyme. Alliteration cambridge dictionary english dictionary. Alliterative means relating to or connected with alliteration.
Examination of the patterns of group alliteration in old and middle english reveals a hierarchy of clusterinternal cohesiveness which leads to new conclusions regarding the causes for the special treatment of sp, st, sk in alliteration. Alliteration definition of alliteration by the free dictionary. Alliteration and sound change in early english donka minkova this study uses evidence from early english poetry to determine when certain sound changes took place in the transition from old to middle english. Translation of alliteration at merriamwebsters spanishenglish dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
May 04, 2020 alliteration countable and uncountable, plural alliterations the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words immediately succeeding each other, or at short intervals. Texts such as literature, poetry, pamphlets, or propagandawhich had been written with the purpose of criticising those who owned. This course teaches english spelling rules with interactive exercises and spelling tests, helping learners with problems such as dyslexia to improve their english spelling and helping others to learn english as a foreign language. Seel alliteration dictionary alliteration definition alliteration is a literary device where each word in a string of words starts with the same consonant as opposed to assonance, in which a vowel sound is repeated. Alliteration definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Alliteration examples and definition literary devices.
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