Lepizeuxis

Lepizeuxis is a rhetorical device characterized by the immediate repetition of a word or short phrase for emphasis. In use, the repeated element appears without intervening words, creating a rhythmic, emphatic effect that can heighten drama or insistence.

In many references, lepizeuxis is treated as a variant spelling or closely related form of epizeuxis, the more common English term for the same mechanism. Both derive from Greek and describe the repetition of a term in immediate succession. Some discussions distinguish minor stylistic differences or regional usage, but the core concept remains the same: repetition without interruption to stress a point.

Example phrases commonly cited for lepizeuxis include "Never, never, never" or "Words, words, words." Such repetition can intensify meaning, convey urgency, or reveal emotion, depending on context, voice, and pacing.

Usage and considerations: Lepizeuxis appears in oratory, poetry, and memorable prose, where it can produce a rallying, hypnotic, or condemnatory effect. Because the device relies on repetition, overuse may come across as melodramatic or tiresome. Writers and speakers typically deploy it sparingly, to punctuate a pivotal moment or reinforce a key idea.

See also: epizeuxis, repetition (rhetoric), diacope.