Alliteration
noun /əˌlɪt.əˈreɪ.ʃən/ — Repetition of the same initial consonant sound
Definition
The occurrence of the same sound or letter at the beginning of closely connected words — a sound device that creates rhythm, cohesion, and memorability.
Beyond the definition
The music of consonants. Alliteration makes language land. It's the reason advertising slogans stick, and why poems remain.
Origin & history
From Latin 'alliteratio' — 'ad' (to) + 'littera' (letter). The formal description of a poetic technique as old as language itself.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers — nonsense, but unforgettable alliteration.
She used alliteration to give the title weight: 'Brave, Brief, Brilliant'.
The Anglo-Saxon poets built entire poems on alliterative metre. It was how verse worked before rhyme arrived.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Alliteration” when the meaning fits your context: The occurrence of the same sound or letter at the beginning of closely connected words — a sound device that creates rhythm, cohesion, and memorability.
Synonyms
consonance, sound repetition, initial rhyme
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Alliteration" mean?
Alliteration is noun meaning: Repetition of the same initial consonant sound. The occurrence of the same sound or letter at the beginning of closely connected words — a sound device that creates rhythm, cohesion, and memorability.
Where does the word "Alliteration" come from?
From Latin 'alliteratio' — 'ad' (to) + 'littera' (letter). The formal description of a poetic technique as old as language itself.