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A.Word.A.Day--trope

trope (rhymes with scope) noun

1. The figurative use of a word or an expression, as metaphor or hyperbole. An instance of this use; a figure of speech.

2. A word or phrase interpolated as an embellishment in the sung parts of certain medieval liturgies.

[Latin tropus, from Greek tropos, turn, figure of speech.]

"The trope of the perpetual journey, continuously wandering and witnessing the wonders and the horrors of the Arab World, is a salient feature in both of the poems examined here." Bardenstein, Carol, Stirring words: traditions and subversions in the poetry of Muzaffar al-Nawwab. (Modern Iraqi Literature in English Translation), Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ), 22 Sep 1997.

This week's theme: words about words.

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