A phrase which joins contradictory words to create a paradox, for example ‘pretty ugly’.
A more extensive list of literary terms, with quotations from fiction and non-fiction sources showing the terms in use, is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)
© Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021
Glossary
We’ve curated a glossary of terms regarding all things writing and publishing related. From commonly-used terms to abbreviations, our glossary will guide writers and people starting out in publishing, to cut through the jargon and gain a better understanding.
Filter by
Oxymoron
Ozalid
This is a process for reproducing manuscripts and making a proof from exposing film onto light-sensitive paper.
Paper engineering
The mechanics of creating novelty books and pop-ups.
Paperback
A book bound with a flexible paper or card covering.
Participle
Non-finite form of a verb that is used to form compound tenses and also functions as other parts of speech. English verbs have a present participle (ending in -ing), and a past participle (ending in -ed, except in irregular verbs).
A more extensive list of grammatical terms is included in The Right Word: A Writer’s Toolkit of Grammar, Vocabulary and Literary Terms (Bloomsbury 2021)
© Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2021