Alliterate
/əˈlɪt.ə.reɪt/noun
To use the same sound, especially at the beginning of words, in a phrase or line of text.
Did you know?Alliterate comes from Latin *ad-* + *littera* (“letter”), so its history is tied to the ancient power of writing itself, not to any mystical spell—but the sound pattern it names has long been used in poetry like verbal incantation.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
ad litteras
“toward letters / with letters”
Late Latin
Latin
allitterare
“to repeat letters or sounds”
Middle French
French
alliterer
“to use the same initial sounds in words”
16th Century
English
alliterate
“to use the same initial letter or sound repeatedly in poetry or prose”
Modern English
English
alliterate
“to use the same initial sound at the beginning of nearby words”
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