Merism

Can be confused for Antithesis.1 It’s about naming a subject’s parts in contrasting phrases to represent the totality. It can be considered a type of Synecdoche. From Greek “divided.”2

Examples include:

  • “For better for worse, for richer for poorer, etc.” is a merism for “in any circumstances.”3
  • “Night and day you are the one.” —Cole Porter4

  1. The Elements of Eloquence pg. 28 ↩

  2. Definitions and Examples of Merisms in Rhetoric ↩

  3. The Elements of Eloquence pg. 29 ↩

  4. The Elements of Eloquence pg. 30 ↩

Notes mentioning this note

Merism
Merism Can be confused for [[Antithesis]].1 It’s about naming a subject’s parts in contrasting phrases to represent the totality. It...
Figures of rhetoric
Figures of rhetoric [[Different types of repetition]] [[Alliteration]] [[Antithesis]] [[Merism]] [[Hendiadys]] [[Synaesthesia]] [[Tricolon]]
Hendiadys
Hendiadys An idea presented by two different words, links with and, like “nice and warm” instead of “nicely warm.” Modification...