Polyptoton is a unique form of repetition used for emphasis of the repeated root. As the root word morphs throughout the sentence, polyptotonic phrases can be used to simply emphasize, add a musicality, or add an interesting form of poeticism to a phrase.
How do you use Polyptoton in a sentence?
Polyptoton Examples
- The Greeks are strong and skillful to their strength, ...
- With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder.
- Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
- Not as a call to battle, though embattled we are.
- There is no end of it, the voiceless wailing,
What does Polyptoton mean in writing?
Polyptoton /ˌpɒlɪpˈtoʊtɒn/ is the stylistic scheme in which words derived from the same root are repeated (such as "strong" and "strength"). A related stylistic device is antanaclasis, in which the same word is repeated, but each time with a different sense. Another related term is figura etymologica.
