epiphonema
9.9
A short sentence that sums up what was said and is easy to remember, often at the end
- noun
- /ˌɛpɪˈfoʊnɪmə/
- Literature
:
epifonema
- The lawyer concluded his argument with a powerful epiphonema that left the jury in silence.
Examples
-
After the heated debate, her epiphonema summarized their key points and resonated with the audience.
-
Some rhetors insist that the epiphonema must be an exclamation (that is, must include ecphonesis).
Academic text (1999) -
To emphasize his main idea, the speaker delivered an inspiring epiphonema that everyone would remember.
Synonyms
3
8.0
A short clever saying or poem that makes a witty point
is meant as a forceful memorable summary rather than clever amusement
1
9.9
A short sentence that gives the moral of a story
is a short emphatic sentence that sums up what came before
Surface Forms
epiphonema singular
epiphonemas plural
Etymology
Epiphonema comes from Greek parts epi- ('on' or 'upon') and phōnēma ('sound' or 'speech'). Think of words like telephone and microphone that use the same root for 'sound', so you can picture a short sound put 'on top' of what was said. That's why an epiphonema is a short, strong final sentence or exclamation that sums up what came before.