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epic simile

noun

  1. a simile developed over several lines of verse, especially one used in an epic poem.


epic simile

noun

  1. an extended simile, as used in the epic poetry of Homer and other writers
“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


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Word History and Origins

Origin of epic simile1

First recorded in 1940–45

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More About Epic Simile

What is an epic simile?

An epic simile is a comparison of two unlike things over the course of several lines or verses of poetry.

An epic simile is a figure of speech used to compare two unlike things in an extensive way over several lines of poetry. You’ll find them especially in epic poems—lengthy stories told about a hero and the events of their heroic journey. Often epic similes will be used to compare the actions of the hero to the action of an animal or force of nature that is both well known and dramatic. 

Because some of the most well-known epic similes come from Ancient Greek poet Homer, epic similes are sometimes called Homeric similes. Homer’s epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey contain epic similes.

Example: My favorite poetry class assignment was to write an epic simile of 100 lines comparing Homer’s Odysseus to a modern invention.

Where does epic simile come from?

The first records of the term epic simile come from around the 1940s. It combines the term epic, meaning “a poem that is usually long and focused on a hero,” and simile, meaning “a comparison of two unlike things using the terms like or as.” Literally, an epic simile compares two unlike things in a long poem.

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What are some synonyms for epic simile?

What are some words that share a root or word element with epic simile

What are some words that often get used in discussing epic simile?

How is epic simile used in real life?

Epic simile is almost always used in reference to literature and poetry.

 

 

Try using epic simile!

True or False?

An epic simile is a comparison of similar things done in one line of text.

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