syllepsis
/sɪˈlɛp.sɪs/ noun
Forms syllepses
- noun (rhetoric) A figure of speech in which one word simultaneously modifies two or more other words such that the modification must be understood differently with respect to each modified word; often causing humorous incongruity.
- noun (botany) Growth in which lateral branches develop from a lateral meristem, without the formation of a bud or period of dormancy, when the lateral meristem is split from a terminal meristem.
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin syllepsis, from Ancient Greek σύλληψις (súllēpsis), from συλλαμβάνω (sullambánō).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A figure of speech by which a word is used in a literal and metaphorical sense at the same time.
- noun The agreement of a verb or adjective with one, rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina beati.
Etymology [L., fr. Gr. sy`llhpsis a taking together, from syllable, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “syllepsis”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details