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Literary

hyperbaton

hy-PER-buh-ton

haɪˈpɜːrbətɒn

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Syllable breakdown

hyperbaton

Sounds like

Say 'hy-PER-buh-ton'.

Dictionary meaning

A figure of speech in which words are displaced from their natural order (e.g. 'This I must see').

History and origin

Greek — 'hyperabaton' (overstepping).

Examples

  • Yoda's speech in Star Wars is the most famous modern use of hyperbaton.

Common mispronunciations

hy-per-BAY-tonHY-per-buh-ton

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