What does prosopopoeia mean?
Definitions for prosopopoeia
proʊˌsoʊ pəˈpi əprosopopoeia
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word prosopopoeia.
Princeton's WordNet
personification, prosopopoeianoun
representing an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature
Wiktionary
prosopopoeianoun
Personifying a person or object when communicate to an audience.
prosopopoeianoun
personification of an abstraction.
Etymology: From προσωποποιία.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Prosopopoeianoun
Personification; figure by which things are made persons.
Etymology: πϱοσωποποιία; prosoposée, Fr.
These reasons are pathetically urged, and admirably raised by the prosopopœia of nature speaking to her children. Dryden.
Freebase
Prosopopoeia
A prosopopoeia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker or writer communicates to the audience by speaking as another person or object. The term literally derives from the Greek roots "prósopon face, person, and poiéin to make, to do". Prosopopoeiae are used mostly to give another perspective on the action being described. For example, in Cicero's Pro Caelio, Cicero speaks as Appius Claudius Caecus, a stern old man. This serves to give the "ancient" perspective on the actions of the plaintiff. Prosopopoeiae can also be used to take some of the load off of the communicator by placing an unfavorable point of view on the shoulders of an imaginary stereotype. The audience's reactions are predisposed to go towards this figment rather than the communicator himself. This term also refers to a figure of speech in which an animal or inanimate object is ascribed human characteristics or is spoken of in anthropomorphic language. Quintilian writes of the power of this figure of speech to "bring down the gods from heaven, evoke the dead, and give voices to cities and states". A classic example of this usage can be found in the book of Sirach in the Bible, where Wisdom is personified and made to speak to the people and to the reader:
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of prosopopoeia in Chaldean Numerology is: 1
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of prosopopoeia in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Translations for prosopopoeia
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- پروسوپوئیاPersian
- 食欲不振Japanese
- từ tượng thanhVietnamese
Get even more translations for prosopopoeia »
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"prosopopoeia." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 24 Mar. 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/prosopopoeia>.
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