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hyphenated epithet

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

A compound descriptive term joined by a hyphen to modify a noun (e.g., "cloud-capped," "rosy-fingered"); in poetry, it compresses imagery, creates memorable epithets, and adds a formal, often Homeric texture.

Detailed Definition
A hyphenated epithet is a compound descriptive phrase joined by a hyphen (e.g., “star-bright eyes” or “heart-wrenching silence”) that fuses two concepts into a single vivid modifier; this technique intensifies imagery and rhythm while economizing language through compact, evocative phrasing.
Example
Example in poetry:
“dew-drenched” in Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale”; “blood-boltered” in Shakespeare’s Macbeth; “wind-warped” in Heaney’s “Bogland”; “star-crossed” in Romeo and Juliet.
Additional Notes
Hyphenated epithet: A descriptive phrase using hyphens to combine words into a single modifier (e.g., “storm-borne,” “death-shadowed”).
Also Known As
Compound epithet Hyphenated modifier Linked descriptor
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