51Թ

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View synonyms for

alliteration

[uh-lit-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

  1. 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.

  2. the commencement of two or more words of a word group with the same letter, as in apt alliteration's artful aid.



alliteration

/ əˌɪəˈɪʃə /

noun

  1. the use of the same consonant ( consonantal alliteration ) or of a vowel, not necessarily the same vowel ( vocalic alliteration ), at the beginning of each word or each stressed syllable in a line of verse, as in around the rock the ragged rascal ran

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

alliteration

  1. The repetition of the beginning sounds of words, as in “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” “long-lived,” “short shrift,” and “the fickle finger of fate.”

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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ˈٱپ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of alliteration1

First recorded in 1650–60; from Medieval Latin ٱپō-, stem of ٱپō, equivalent to al- al- + ٱپō, modeled after Dzٱپō obliteration but intended to convey a derivative of littera “lٳٱ”
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of alliteration1

C17: from Medieval Latin ٱپō (from Latin al- (see ad- ) + litera letter), on the model of Dzٱپō obliteration
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He named the brand Merch Motel because he found the phrase descriptive and liked its alliteration.

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One for alliteration fans - could Broadway Boy follow Mon Mome, Party Politics and Red Rum as a nifty-sounding National winner for trainer, who has triumphed twice before?

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The alliteration continued with appellations like “Vindictive, vile villain violates voters’ vision” – truly a gem from Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

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And, yes, there were omissions, which, for the sake of alliteration and search engine optimization, we’ll call “snubs.”

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I love alliteration, comes from the in-the-moment interactions I have with people.

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When To Use

What isalliteration?

Alliteration is the repetition of the same or a similar sound at or near the beginning of each word in a series.The tongue twister Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers is a classic example of alliteration. The sentence uses the same consonant (the letter p) at the beginning of each main word to create alliteration. This specific kind of alliteration is called consonantal alliteration. Sometimes, this kind of alliteration can involve the repetition of not a single letter but the same letter combination, such as tr, as in Trip truly tricked Tracy. Alliteration that uses vowels or vowel sounds instead of consonants is known as vocalic alliteration. An example is Every editor expects excellence. But the vowel sounds don’t necessarily have to be created by the same letter. And even if different vowel sounds are used, the effect is still considered alliteration, as in Ed’s advice is always unexpected.The adjective form of alliteration is alliterative, which is used to describe things that use or are examples of alliteration, as in Marilyn Monroe is an alliterative name. Alliteration is fun and it’s pleasant to hear. It’s typically used to call attention to a specific phrase or sentence or make it more interesting or memorable, such as in a story, a brand name, or advertising.

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alliteratealliterative