This list includes 12 Literary devices that start with O, from “Objective correlative” to “Oxymoron”. They range from rhetorical figures to narrative techniques commonly used in analysis, teaching, and creative writing.

Literary devices that start with O are techniques authors use to shape meaning, tone, or reader response. Many became canonical through criticism and practice, such as T.S. Eliot’s use of the “objective correlative” in modern poetry.

Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, and Example.

Term: The device name helps you quickly find and cross-reference entries for study, lesson planning, or writing.

Definition: A concise explanation shows how the device works and why an author might use it in a text.

Example: A short contextual sentence demonstrates usage so you can recognize or apply the device in analysis or writing.

Literary devices that start with O

NameAlternate namesDevice typeExample
Oblique rhymeslant rhyme; half rhyme; near rhymesound devicePoet pairs “shape” with “keep” as near rhymes.
Objective correlativeEliot’s objective correlativeliterary techniqueA storm, empty chair, and wilting flowers evoke grief.
Objective point of viewdramatic point of view; camera-eye narrationnarrative techniqueThe story shows actions but never reveals inner thoughts.
Octaveeight-line stanza; sonnet octavestructural; poetic formThe sonnet’s octave poses a problem the sestet resolves.
Octosyllableeight-syllable line; octosyllabic meterpoetic meterBallads often use octosyllable lines for a steady beat.
Odelyric of praise; Pindaric or Horatian odepoetic formThe poet composes an ode celebrating autumn’s colors.
Omissionellipsis (rhetorical); deliberate omissionrhetorical deviceThe narrator omits the taboo topic, creating charged silence.
Omniscient narratorall-knowing narrator; third-person omniscientnarrative techniqueThe narrator knows each character’s hidden fears and past.
Onomatopoeiaechoic word; sound-imitative wordsound deviceThe poem uses “buzz,” “clang,” and “hiss” to mimic sounds.
Ottava rimaItalian ottava rima; eight-line stanzapoetic form; stanza formThe epic uses ottava rima with ABABABCC rhyme.
Overstatementhyperbole; exaggerationrhetorical deviceShe claims, “I’ve told you a million times.”
Oxymoroncontradictory pairing; verbal paradoxfigurative languageA deafening silence fills the hall.

Descriptions

Oblique rhyme
Partial rhyme where vowel or consonant sounds approximate rather than match exactly, creating subtle sonic linkages.
Objective correlative
A set of objects, situations, or events that together evoke a specific emotion without naming it directly.
Objective point of view
Narration limited to observable action and dialogue, presenting events without accessing characters’ internal thoughts or feelings.
Octave
An eight-line unit often forming the first part of a Petrarchan sonnet, typically presenting a situation, question, or problem.
Octosyllable
A line of verse containing eight syllables, commonly used in ballads and various European poetic traditions to establish rhythm.
Ode
A formal lyric poem that praises or meditates on a person, thing, or idea, often elevated in tone and structure.
Omission
Deliberately leaving out words, facts, or details to imply meaning, create tension, or focus the reader’s inference.
Omniscient narrator
A narrative voice that knows and can report multiple characters’ thoughts, feelings, and backgrounds across scenes and times.
Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate or suggest natural sounds, employed to create vivid auditory imagery and sensory immediacy.
Ottava rima
An Italian stanza form of eight lines (often decasyllabic) with a typical ABABABCC rhyme scheme, used in narrative and heroic verse.
Overstatement
Deliberate exaggeration used to emphasize a point, convey strong feeling, or create dramatic or comic effect.
Oxymoron
A compact figure that places contradictory terms together (e.g., “bittersweet”) to produce emphasis, irony, or nuance.
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