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

Example Sentences

And as Herndon pointed out, “in time Lincoln’s style changed: he became more eloquent but with less gaudy ornamentation. He grew in oratorical power, dropping gradually the alliteration and rosy metaphor of youth.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Daniels: That was really about the alliteration of the Toledo Truth Teller.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Institute,” a 2019 novel by Stephen King, Maine’s Master of the Macabre — or horror, I just said macabre for the alliteration — has become a miniseries with some major additions and minor emendations.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

Related Words

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