Here’s a quick and simple definition: A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a sentence. Often, the governing word will mean …

The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms offers a much broader definition for zeugma, defining it as any case of parallelism and ellipsis working together so that a single word governs two or …

Zeugma (pronounced ZOOG-muh) comes from the Greek word meaning “yoking” or “joining.” Essentially, it’s a figure of speech in which a single word, usually a verb or an adjective, is …

(Walter Redfern, Puns) "Zeugma," which has been a part of the English language since the 15th century, comes from Greek, where it literally means "joining." The Greek word has another …

Jan 20, 2025 · Zeugma comes from the Greek word “ζεῦγμα” which means “yoking together,” and it has been used in English since at least the 15th century. In zeugma, one word is used to …

May 21, 2020 · This literary device is called a “zeugma,” from the ancient Greek and Latin words for yoking together. As this word origin suggests, zeugmas connect two different meanings of …

A zeugma is a rhetorical device in which a single word, often a verb, governs two or more words, even though it may not grammatically or logically apply to both.

Glossary of Poetic Terms Zeugma A figure of speech in which one verb or preposition joins two objects within the same phrase, often with different meanings. For example, “I left my heart …

Zeugma is a figure of speech in which a single word joins two (or more) parts of a sentence. Sometimes, zeugma is a writing mistake, and sometimes it isn't. Zeugma is often used to …

Define zeugma in literature: In summation, the term zeugma is defined as a figure of speech that involves using a single word in order to join together more than one word or phrase.