overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

syllepsis.

A figure of speech in which one word simultaneously modifies two or more other words such that the modification must be understood differently with respect to each modified word; often causing humorous incongruity.

9 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/sɪˈlɛp.sɪs/General-American, UK
  1. A figure of speech in which one word simultaneously modifies two or more other words such that the modification must be understood differently with respect to each modified word; often causing humorous incongruity.

    countable · rhetoric · uncountable
  2. Growth in which lateral branches develop from a lateral meristem, without the formation of a bud or period of dormancy, when the lateral meristem is split from a terminal meristem.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

From Latin syllepsis, from Ancient Greek σύλληψις (súllēpsis), from συλλαμβάνω (sullambánō).

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

syllepsis has 9 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

syllepsis studiosyllepsis workshello, syllepsis

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.