Kyriology
/ˌkɪəriˈɒlədʒi/noun
The use of words in their literal, proper, or ordinary sense rather than figuratively.
Did you know?In classical rhetoric, kyriology was contrasted with figurative language, making it a technical vocabulary for distinguishing the ordinary meaning of a word from its rhetorical disguise.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κύριος (kyrios)
“Master, lord, one possessing authority; also proper or authoritative.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κυριολογία (kyriologia)
“The use of a proper, literal, or authoritative expression.”
Late Antiquity
Greek
κυριολογία
“A rhetorical term contrasted with figurative or transferred expression.”
Early Modern English
English
kyriology
“The use of words in their proper or literal sense.”
Modern English
English
kyriology
“A rare rhetorical term for literal or non-figurative wording.”