polyptoton

P3O1L1Y4P3T1O1T1O1N1
US/ˌpɑ.ləpˈtoʊˌtɑn/

noun

A stylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case.

OriginAncient Greek πολύπτωτον →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounpolyptoton (countable and uncountable, plural polyptota or polyptotons)

plural polyptota · plural polyptotons

  1. countablerhetoricuncountableA stylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case.

    A Polyptoton still the same word places, If sense require it, in two different cases.

    1835, L[arret] Langley, “[Rhetorical Turns.] Polyptoton.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 84

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπολύπτωτον
  2. Englishpolyptoton

Via Latin, from Ancient Greek πολύπτωτον (polúptōton), neuter of πολύπτωτος (polúptōtos, “having many cases”), from πολύς (polús, “many”) + πίπτω (píptō, “to fall”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan políptoton
  • políptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Czech polyptoton
  • polyptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Finnish polyptoton
  • polyptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
French polyptote
  • polyptotestylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
German Polyptoton
  • Polyptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Italian poliptoto
  • poliptotostylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Portuguese poliptoto
  • poliptotostylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Russian полиптотон, многопаде́жие
  • полиптотон (poliptoton)stylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
  • многопаде́жие (mnogopadéžije)stylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Spanish políptoton, poliptoton
  • políptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
  • poliptotonstylistic scheme in which words from the same root are used together, or a word is repeated in a different inflection or case
Cite this entry
APA

polyptoton. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyptoton

MLA

“polyptoton.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyptoton. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyptoton,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyptoton.

Source: polyptoton on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.