alliteration

American  

[uh-lit-uh-rey-shuhn] / əˌlɪt əˈreɪ ʃən /

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.

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alliteration British  

/ əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən /

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

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alliteration Cultural  

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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Usage

What is alliteration? 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.

Other Word Forms

• alliterative adjective

Etymology

Origin of alliteration

First recorded in 1650–60; from Medieval Latin alliterātiōn-, stem of alliterātiō, equivalent to al- al- + literātiō, modeled after obliterātiō obliteration but intended to convey a derivative of littera “letter”

Compare meaning

How does alliteration compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• alliteration vs. assonance

Explanation

Alliteration is when you use words that have the same sound at the beginning, like "Stellar students synthesize sweet sentences." It's a time-honored poetic device to make a string of words start with the same consonant sound, and that is what alliteration labels. For example, in A Midsummer's Night Dream, Shakespeare broke out the B's: "With bloody blameful blade he bravely broached his bloody boiling breast." And in the song "From A to G" by Blackalicious, a verse with words beginning with the "C" sound describes a "crazy character, constantly creating concoctions."

Example Sentences

“A little alliteration was probably involved as well—‘Pit Bull Pollack,’” said Stephen Braga, who worked with Pollack at the Miller, Cassidy firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

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?

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2025

It’s easy enough to write off the twee alliteration of the three J-named exes as a kind of light rhyme or fairy-tale resonance.

From New York Times • May 20, 2024

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

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2024

The classic manuals, written by starchy Englishmen and rock- ribbed Yankees, try to take all the fun out of writing, grimly adjuring the writer to avoid offbeat words, figures of speech, and playful alliteration.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• cadence
• poem
• poetry
• rhythm
• tune
• verse