Main Entry: anaph·o·ra

Pronunciation: \ə-ˈna-f(ə-)rə\

Function: noun

Etymology: Late Latin, from Late Greek, from Greek, act of carrying back, reference, from anapherein to carry back, refer, from ana- + pherein to carry — more at bear

Date: circa 1589

1 : repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect <Lincoln's “we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground” is an example of anaphora> — compare epistrophe
2 : use of a grammatical substitute (as a pronoun or a pro-verb) to refer to the denotation of a preceding word or group of words; also : the relation between a grammatical substitute and its antecedent