alliterative

adjective

al·​lit·​er·​a·​tive ə-ˈli-tə-rə-tiv How to pronounce alliterative (audio)
-tə-ˌrā-tiv
: of, relating to, or marked by alliteration
alliteratively adverb

Examples of alliterative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But how did this Christmastime ritual get its alliterative name in the first place? Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 7 Dec. 2023 John Carpenter’s Kinda Not-Urban Screams isn’t alliterative. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2023 Despite the alliterative moniker, the group is more of a loose affiliation of litter-pickers who have found community — and share their bounty — on the website Reddit. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 31 July 2023 Alliteration was used as a formal structure in many Indo-European languages, known as alliterative verse. USA TODAY, 9 June 2023 Junior defender Mackenzie Loomis has the perfect alliterative name for St. Charles East. Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2023 The answer to this week’s contest crossword is an alliterative cartoon character who would have made a good sixth theme answer. WSJ, 4 May 2023 Journalism necessitates concision on a level that I’m not used to because informational language isn’t supposed to be flamboyant, flowery, frolicsome or alliterative – it’s supposed to convey information. Terah Bennett, oregonlive, 4 Aug. 2022 Nothing captured the imagination more than the alliterative vitamin vault, where shoppers could forage for calcium supplements and krill oil in the same setting that bank patrons once retrieved diamonds and stashed cash. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 29 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alliterative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

alliter(ation) + -ative

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alliterative was in 1751

Dictionary Entries Near alliterative

Cite this Entry

“Alliterative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alliterative. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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