What does parallelism mean?
Parallelism is the condition of being alike, corresponding, or occurring in a similar way. It can describe the relationship between two historical developments, two characters’ lives, or two sets of circumstances, especially when the comparison reveals a meaningful connection. In grammar, parallelism means using successive words, phrases, or clauses with matching structures or parts of speech. In rhetoric, the device similarly involves balanced or corresponding arrangements that emphasize related ideas. Parallelism is therefore both a general pattern of similarity and a precise term in literary and linguistic analysis. The word is useful because it identifies correspondences without necessarily implying that the compared things are identical: they may be separate developments, yet share a recognizable structure or direction.
The state of two or more things developing, occurring, or operating in a corresponding or similar way; a close correspondence between them.
"The historian notes the parallelism between the two reform movements."
Common in discussion of history, literature, ideas, and social developments.
In grammar or rhetoric, the use of matching syntactic structures, parts of speech, or arrangements in successive phrases or clauses.
"The poem’s parallelism gives the two verses equal emphasis."
This is a technical term in grammar, rhetoric, and literary analysis.
The plural is used for distinct instances or kinds of parallelism, as in “the author identifies several parallelisms in the narrative.”
"The critic points out subtle parallelisms between the novel and its historical source."
Parallelism lets two lines of thought move in parallel, revealing a correspondence without forcing them to be identical.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does parallelism come from?
Parallelism was formed in the early 19th century from the adjective parallel plus the suffix -ism, a combination used to form names of conditions, doctrines, or systems. Parallel comes through French from Latin parallelus, from Greek parallelos, meaning “side by side.” The same ancient root appears in parallelogram, a geometric figure formed by parallel lines, and in paralogize, a word ultimately based on Greek para and logos.
How parallelism is actually used
In general use, parallelism often emphasizes a meaningful correspondence between two things. In literary analysis and rhetoric, it more specifically refers to the matching arrangement of grammatical or rhetorical elements.
Easily confused with parallelism
A parallel is a line, surface, or example that is parallel to something else or that shows a corresponding pattern, whereas parallelism names the quality or relationship of being parallel.