asyndeton

[uh-sin-di-ton, -tuhn]

noun

1. Rhetoric.,  the omission of conjunctions, as in “He has provided people with jobs, with opportunity, with self-respect.”

2. Library Science.,  the omission of cross references, especially from a catalog.

asyndeton

/ æˈsɪndɪtən /

noun

1. the omission of a conjunction between the parts of a sentence

2. an asyndetic construction Compare syndeton

Other Word Forms

• asyndetic adjective
• asyndetically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of asyndeton¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin, from Greek, noun use of neuter of asýndetos “unlinked, loose” (equivalent to a- a- ⁶ + syndé(ein) “to tie together, bind” + -tos verbal adjective suffix)

Word History and Origins

Origin of asyndeton¹

C16: from New Latin, from Greek asundeton, from asundetos unconnected, from _a- ¹ + sundein to bind together

Example Sentences

The asyndeton in this distich is odd, given the preceding series of connectives.

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But the asyndeton resulting from the suppression of these words was felt to be intolerable.

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The use of tmesis, asyndeton, anacoluthon, aposiopesis, hyperbaton, hyperbole, litotes, in Latin oratory and poetry.

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Therefore the figure asyndeton, whereby conjunctions are omitted, is highly commended by writers of rhetoric.

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