Home › Glossary › Letter H

Homoioteleuton

Sound
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The repetition of similar word endings in successive words or phrases.

Detailed Definition
Homoioteleuton is a variant spelling of homoeoteleuton, referring to the same rhetorical figure of repeated word endings for rhythmic or stylistic effect; in poetic practice, it contributes to euphony and structural patterning, especially in lists or catalogues where suffixal repetition (e.g., “running, spinning, winning”) builds momentum and linguistic harmony, aligning sound with thematic accumulation.
Example
Example in poetry:
Homoioteleuton: “All the people fell… and the elders fell” (scribal error); “He ran fast… she ran fast” (repetition slip); “The king spoke… the queen spoke” (omission risk); “Common in oral transmission errors” (didactic note)
Additional Notes
Rhetorical device using similar word endings (beyond simple rhyme). Related to homoeoptoton but emphasizing sound. Common in Latin verse rhetoric.
Also Known As
Similar ending Like-sounding closure Echo ending Rhyme-like terminal
Skip to main content