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View synonyms for prosopopoeia

prosopopoeia

or pro·so·po·pe·ia

[ proh-soh-puh-pee-uh ]

noun

, Rhetoric.
  1. personification, as of inanimate things.
  2. a figure of speech in which an imaginary, absent, or deceased person is represented as speaking or acting.


prosopopoeia

/ ˌprɒsəpəˈpiːə /

noun

  1. rhetoric another word for personification
  2. a figure of speech that represents an imaginary, absent, or dead person speaking or acting
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˌprosopoˈpoeial, adjective
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Other Words From

  • pro·sopo·poeial adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of prosopopoeia1

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin prosōpopoeia, from Greek prosōpopoiía “personification,” equivalent to prósōpo(n) “face, person ” + poi(eîn) “to make” + -ia -ia
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Word History and Origins

Origin of prosopopoeia1

C16: via Latin from Greek prosōpopoiia dramatization, from prosōpon face + poiein to make
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Example Sentences

Over its many seasons of courtship Harrison has come to be the prosopopoeia of all the nation's unease over changing demographics.

From Salon

Where others would say “I don’t want to talk in my husband’s place”, she said something I’ve never heard anyone else say: “I don’t like prosopopoeia.”

The want of scenery is sometimes supplied by a very unclassical figure, which, just the reverse of the prosopopoeia or personification of grammarians, considers persons to represent things.

Phædrus evidently confounds them with tales; and Gay, both with tales and allegorical prosopopoeias.

Yet in nearly every literature death has been personified, while no kindred prosopopoeia of life is anywhere to be found.

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