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Logosglyph

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What Is a Logosglyph?

A logosglyph is a word that looks like what it means. For example:
  • The word bed looks like a bed.
  • The word eye looks like a pair of eyes and a nose.
Logosglyphs are typically used in poetry and descriptive writing to assist with description. For example:
  • A geek with come-to-bed eyes.
    • (In this example, the word geek is a logosglyph too, given it is about eyes.)

Examples of Logosglyphs

Here are some more examples of logosglyphs:
  • She had eyes like pools.
    • (In this example, the word pools is also a logosglyph because the oo portrays large, round, pool-like eyes.)

When used to describe eyes, pools is a logosglyph.
  • Tall legs like stilts.
    • (In this example, all the words can be classified as logosglyphs as their letters (particularly the Ls) give a sense of height.)

Origin of the Word Logosglyph

The word logosglyph literally means "word carving." It is a compound noun derived from the Greek words for word (logos) and carving (glyphe).

Logosglyphs Are a Form of Figurative Language

Logosglyphs are a form of figurative language, which covers unusual or imaginative word constructions. Logosglyphs contrast with onomatopoeic words, which sound like what they represent. Logosglyphs look like what they represent.  


See Also

What is consonance? What is alliteration? Try our anagram builder. Glossary of grammatical terms