Figures of Repetition Vocabulary

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

“I have a dream... I have a dream... I have a dream—King's anaphora built unstoppable momentum.”

Origin: Greek `anaphora` (carrying back), from `ana-` (back) + `pherein` (to carry)

repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people—Lincoln's epistrophe at Gettysburg.”

Origin: Greek `epistrophe` (turning about), from `epi-` (upon) + `strephein` (to turn)

combining anaphora and epistrophe—repetition at both beginning and end

“When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it.”

Origin: Greek `symploke` (interweaving), from `syn-` (together) + `plekein` (to weave)

repeating the last word of one clause at the start of the next

“Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering—Yoda's anadiplosis.”

Origin: Greek `anadiplosis` (doubling), from `ana-` (again) + `diploun` (to double)

repeating the opening word or phrase at the end of a sentence

“The king is dead, long live the king.”

Origin: Greek `epanalepsis` (resumption), from `epi-` (upon) + `ana-` (again) + `lambanein` (to take)

repetition of words derived from the same root

“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds—Shakespeare's polyptoton.”

Origin: Greek `polyptoton` (many cases), from `poly-` (many) + `ptosis` (case, falling)

repetition of a word with a different meaning each time

“Your argument is sound—all sound and no substance.”

Origin: Greek `antanaklasis` (reflection), from `anti-` (against) + `ana-` (back) + `klasis` (breaking)

repetition of a word with one or more words in between

“Bond. James Bond.”

Origin: Greek `diakope` (cutting through), from `dia-` (through) + `koptein` (to cut)