Here you’ll find 10 Literary devices that start with Q that begin with Q, organized from “Qasida” to “Quotative”. They include formal poetic forms, rhetorical tags, and grammatical terms useful in analysis and teaching.

Literary devices that start with Q are terms and techniques beginning with Q. They influence tone, structure, and meaning across poetry and prose. Notably, “qasida” is a classical Arabic ode that shaped medieval poetic practice.

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

Term: The device name listed alphabetically, so you quickly identify and reference the specific technique or form.

Definition: A concise description of the device, letting you understand its function and recognize it in texts.

Example: A brief sentence showing the device in action, helping you see how to use or identify it.

Literary devices that start with Q

DeviceAlternative namesCategoryTypical function
Qasidaqasīda, qasidahpoetic formLong ode for praise or satire
Quantitative meterquantitative prosodymetrical system/poetryStructure rhythm by syllable length
Quasi-rhymequasi rhyme, half rhyme, slant rhymerhyme techniqueCreate approximate rhyme and sonic tension
Quatrainfour-line stanzapoetic form/stanzaCreate concise stanzaic unit, support rhyme schemes
Quintainquintet, five-line stanzapoetic form/stanzaProvide five-line stanza for varied rhythm
Quibbleequivocation, pettifoggingrhetorical device/wordplayEvade a point or exploit ambiguity
Quipwitty remark, witticismrhetorical device/witDeliver humor, brevity, or ironic tone
Quodlibetmedley, collage, bricolageliterary technique/mixCombine disparate elements for contrast or play
Quotationquote, cited passage, epigraphintertextual deviceInvoke other texts’ authority or resonance
Quotativequotative marker, reported-speech markernarrative techniqueIntroduce reported or imitated speech

Descriptions

Qasida
A classical Arabic or Persian ode with monorhyme and formal meters; e.g., a long panegyric praising a tribe’s hero in pre-Islamic poetry.
Quantitative meter
A prosodic system organizing verse by long and short syllables rather than stress; e.g., dactylic hexameter in Homer’s epics.
Quasi-rhyme
An imperfect or approximate rhyme where sounds nearly match; e.g., pairing “soul” with “all” to produce subtle echo without exact rhyme.
Quatrain
A stanza of four lines used for structure and rhyme patterns; e.g., many English ballads use ABAB or AABB quatrains for momentum.
Quintain
A stanza of five lines (quintain) used for rhythmic or narrative effect; e.g., medieval English poems sometimes employ five-line stanzas with recurring rhyme.
Quibble
A petty or hair-splitting objection that hinges on word meanings; e.g., arguing a character’s intent from a single ambiguous word to divert debate.
Quip
A brief, clever remark used to inject humor or reveal character; e.g., a sharp one-liner that lightens a tense scene.
Quodlibet
A playful or eclectic mixing of texts, styles, or quotations within a work; e.g., a passage that collages folk songs, parody, and scholarly citations.
Quotation
The inclusion of another author’s words to add authority, echo themes, or create contrast; e.g., opening a chapter with a famous poem line to set tone.
Quotative
A linguistic or stylistic marker signaling quoted or reported speech in narration; e.g., “he goes, ‘I’m fine,'” used to render spoken voice in dialogue.
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