Glossary of Literary Terms

Polyptoton

Polyptoton is the repetition of a root word in a variety of ways, such as the words “enjoy” and “enjoyable.” Polyptoton is a unique form of wordplay that provides the sentence with repetition in sound and rhythm.

 

Prologue

A prologue is a short introductory section that gives background information or sets the stage for the story to come.

 

Prose

Prose is just non-verse writing. Pretty much anything other than poetry counts as prose.

 

Protagonist

Protagonist is just another word for “main character.” The story circles around this character’s experiences, and the audience is invited to see the world from his or her perspective.

 

Proverb

A proverb is a short saying or piece of folk wisdom that emerges from the general culture rather than being written by a single, individual author.

 

Pun

A pun is a joke based on the interplay of homophones — words with the same pronunciation but different meanings.