Standard Lemma guide

ethopoeia

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A rhetorical technique in which the speaker or author presents an imaginary speech by a real person, portraying that person's known characteristics and propensities.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rhetoric, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An instance of this technique.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, rhetoric

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἠθοποιία (ēthopoiía). Equivalent to etho- + -poeia.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: etopeia — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech
  • French: éthopée — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech
  • Galician: etopeia — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech
  • Italian: etopea — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech
  • Occitan: etopèia — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech
  • Spanish: etopeya — rhetorical technique of creating an imaginary speech