What does syllepsis mean?
Syllepsis is a rhetorical figure in which a single word is used with different grammatical inflections within the same construction. A familiar example is “you can take it or leave it”: “it” is a pronoun in the first part but functions as a verb in the second. The device can create concision or a memorable contrast, but it may also make a sentence ambiguous or awkward. In broader rhetorical use, syllepsis can mean the intentional joining of related ideas. The word comes from Greek sullēpsis, “a taking together,” and entered English as a term for this grammatical phenomenon. It is especially useful when discussing concise prose, classical rhetoric, and the deliberate coordination of clauses.
nounA figure of speech in which one word, especially a conjunction or pronoun, governs two words that require different grammatical inflections. It is commonly illustrated by sentences such as “you can take it or leave it,” where “it” is a pronoun in the first clause and a verb in the second.
- The rhetorical use of a word with different grammatical inflections or functions in closely connected parts of a sentence.
- More broadly, the deliberate joining or conjunction of related ideas in a figure of speech.
"The phrase “she can take the exam or fail it” is an example of syllepsis because “it” functions differently in the two coordinated clauses."
"The advertisement promised good service or money back, a sentence criticized for its use of syllepsis."
"Writers should check every use of syllepsis to make sure the shared word remains clear."
The plural is rarely needed but follows the regular English addition of -es.
"The guide lists several syllepses found in classical rhetoric."
Syllepsis lets one word quietly change its grammatical job without changing its spelling.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does syllepsis come from?
The word comes from Greek sullēpsis, meaning “a taking together,” formed from sullambanein, “to take together,” itself built from sun- and lambanein, “to take.” English borrowed it in the 16th century as a term for a rhetorical construction. Its Greek relatives connect it with a broader family of words associated with taking, seizing, or receiving.
Related word forms
How syllepsis is actually used
In contemporary rhetoric, syllepsis usually refers specifically to a word governing differently inflected words, especially a pronoun used once as a noun and once as a verb. It is related to but distinct from zeugma, which more broadly involves a word governing two words with different meanings.