Asyndeton

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /æˈsɪn.də.tən/

Definitions

1. A rhetorical strategy that purposefully omits conjunctions, thereby amplifying the expressed ideas and creating a dramatic effect
2. A stylistic device where conjunctions are intentionally left out to intensify the impact of a statement and enhance its rhythmic quality
3. A form of expression that excludes conjunctions to emphasize particular words or phrases, resulting in a heightened emotional response

Etymology: Asyndeton is a Greek rhetorical term built from negation and binding: the prefix "a-" meaning "not" joined to "syndeton," a form of "sundeîn," "to bind together." Literally, it names a sentence whose parts are bound together without the usual linking words such as "and" or "but." Its Greek grammarians used the neuter form "asúndeton" as a noun for this figure of speech, so the name describes the missing glue itself. The best-known example is Julius Caesar's boast "veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered"), where three verbs stand side by side with no "and" between them, giving the lines a quick, hammering rhythm. The term passed into Latin as "asyndeton" and from there into English, where it remains a technical name used in literary criticism and rhetoric.

Synonyms: omission of conjunctions, elliptical style

Antonyms: polysyndeton