epistrophe

American  

[ih-pis-truh-fee] / ɪˈpɪs trə fi /

noun

1. Also called epiphora.  Rhetoric. the repetition of a word or words at the end of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences, as in “I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong. …”

2. Philosophy. (inNeoplatonism ) the realization by an intellect of its remoteness from the One.

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epistrophe British  

/ ɪˈpɪstrəfɪ /

noun

1. rhetoric repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

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Etymology

Origin of epistrophe

First recorded in 1640–50; from New Latin, from Greek epistrophḗ; see epi-, strophe

Explanation

When you repeat a word or phrase again and again at the end of a series of sentences, that's epistrophe. You can use epistrophe as a rhetorical device when you give a speech, to emphasize your ideas. Epistrophe works especially well when it's used by public speakers who want to add emphasis and excitement to their speeches. Politicians use epistrophe all the time — one example is President Barack Obama's repetition, at the end of sentence after sentence, of the phrase "Yes, we can." As a literary tool, epistrophe is gives lines a dramatic emphasis and a repetitive rhythm. In Greek, epistrophe means "a turning about," from epi, "about," and strophe, "a turning."

Example Sentences

Anaphora and epistrophe are two related forms of parallelism.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021