This list includes 31 Literary devices that start with P, from “Palilogy” to “Pun”. They cover repetition, sound play, narrative moves, and wordplay useful for analysis, teaching, and creative writing.

Literary devices that start with P are recognized techniques and figures of speech beginning with the letter P. They appear from classical rhetoric to modern fiction; for example, Shakespeare’s puns shape comic meaning. Palilogy also appears in ancient and religious texts as emphatic repetition.

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

Device: You will find the device name and any common variants, helping you quickly identify the term you need.

Definition: You get a concise definition that explains the device’s function and literary effect in clear, classroom-friendly language.

Example: Each example shows the device in context, so you can see usage, tone, and effect for teaching or writing.

Literary devices that start with P

NameAlso calledDevice typeExample
PersonificationProsopopoeia, anthropomorphismtropeThe wind whispered through the trees.
Paradoxrhetorical deviceLess is more.
Parablenarrative techniqueA shepherd’s tale teaching compassion.
ParallelismParallel structuresyntax deviceI came, I saw, I conquered.
ParalipsisParalepsis, apophasisrhetorical deviceI won’t mention his crimes.
Parataxissyntax deviceI came. I saw. I conquered.
Parenthesisaside, bracketed remarkrhetorical deviceHe—if you can believe it—agreed.
Pathetic fallacytropeThe angry sea lashed the shore.
Periphrasiscircumlocution, roundaboutrhetorical deviceThe elongated yellow fruit for “banana”.
Peripeteiareversalnarrative techniqueThe hero’s sudden, tragic downfall.
Perorationconclusion, closing argumentrhetorical deviceHe concluded with a passionate call to act.
Parabasisdramatic deviceThe chorus speaks directly to the audience.
Paronomasiapun, wordplayrhetorical deviceA horse is a very stable animal.
Punparonomasiarhetorical deviceTime flies; fruit flies.
PastichetechniqueA novel written in Dickens’s style.
Pathosrhetorical appealAn account of suffering moved the audience.
Polyptotonrhetorical deviceWho shall watch the watchmen?
Polysyndetonsyntax deviceWe laughed and danced and sang and drank.
Pleonasmrhetorical deviceI saw it with my own eyes.
Portmanteaublend wordword-formation deviceSmog from smoke and fog.
Prolepsisflash-forward, anticipationnarrative techniqueHe pictured his funeral before he died.
Prosodypoetic deviceThe poem’s meter creates a sing-song prosody.
Polyphonynarrative techniqueMultiple voices narrate the novel.
Periodic sentencesyntax deviceDespite storms, the team reached the summit.
Procatalepsisprolepsis, anticipatory rebuttalrhetorical deviceSome will say… but I reply…
Palilogyepizeuxis variantrhetorical deviceNever, never, never!
Paraprosdokianrhetorical deviceI asked God for a bike; I told Him I was kidding.
ProverbdeviceAs the proverb says, “A stitch in time saves nine.”
Praeteritioparalipsisrhetorical deviceI won’t even mention his failures.
Proleptic ironyanticipatory ironyrhetorical deviceHe called himself a victor before victory came.
ProsopopoeiapersonificationtropeDeath knocked at the door.

Descriptions

Personification
Giving human traits to nonhuman things to convey emotion or make abstractions vivid and relatable.
Paradox
A seemingly self-contradictory statement that reveals an unexpected or deeper truth when examined.
Parable
A short allegorical story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson through characters and events.
Parallelism
Repeating grammatical structures to create rhythm, balance, and emphasis in sentences or clauses.
Paralipsis
Feigning omission while actually drawing attention to something, often to emphasize or insult indirectly.
Parataxis
Placing phrases or clauses side by side without subordination to create immediacy, terseness, or rhythmic effect.
Parenthesis
An inserted word, phrase, or clause that interrupts normal syntax to add information, an aside, or clarification.
Pathetic fallacy
Attributing human emotions to nature or objects to reflect or amplify a character’s feelings or mood.
Periphrasis
Using more words than necessary to describe something, often for emphasis, euphemism, or stylistic effect.
Peripeteia
A sudden reversal of circumstances in a narrative, producing surprise and often marking a turning point.
Peroration
The climactic closing part of a speech or argument intended to summarize and rouse emotions.
Parabasis
A dramatic digression—especially in classical drama—when a chorus or narrator addresses the audience directly, often commenting on the play.
Paronomasia
Wordplay using similar sounds or multiple meanings to create humor, irony, or rhetorical effect.
Pun
A joke exploiting multiple meanings or similar sounds of words for wit or emphasis.
Pastiche
A work that deliberately imitates the style or themes of another author or period, often as homage or commentary.
Pathos
An appeal to emotion used to persuade or engage readers by eliciting sympathy, pity, or other feelings.
Polyptoton
Repetition of words from the same root in different forms to create emphasis, contrast, or poetic resonance.
Polysyndeton
Using multiple conjunctions between clauses or items to slow rhythm, build intensity, or add emphasis.
Pleonasm
Use of more words than strictly necessary, often for emphasis, clarity, or idiomatic effect.
Portmanteau
Combining parts of two words to create a new word with blended meanings and connotations.
Prolepsis
Anticipating future events or objections; in narrative, a scene that depicts events out of chronological order as a flash-forward.
Prosody
The study and use of sound, meter, rhythm, and intonation in verse to shape meaning and effect.
Polyphony
A work featuring multiple independent voices or perspectives, each with distinct authority and value.
Periodic sentence
A sentence whose main clause is withheld until the end, creating suspense or emphasis.
Procatalepsis
Anticipating and answering an opponent’s objections within an argument to strengthen the speaker’s position.
Palilogy
Repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis; similar to epizeuxis but can imply insistence or rage.
Paraprosdokian
A sentence whose unexpected ending forces reinterpretation of the beginning, often used for humor or surprise.
Proverb
A short, popularly known saying expressing a general truth or piece of advice, used to lend authority or concision.
Praeteritio
Another name for paralipsis; claiming not to say something while actually bringing it up to make a point.
Proleptic irony
Irony produced when characters or narrators anticipate results that history contradicts, creating dramatic tension.
Prosopopoeia
A form of personification where an absent or imaginary person is represented as speaking or acting.
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