Etymology

Noun

1. A figure of speech, such as a metaphor, in which a word or phrase is used other than in a literal manner.
2. A short cadence at the end of the melody in some early music.
3. A phrase or verse added to the mass when sung by a choir.
4. A cantillation.
5. Something recurring across a genre or type of literature, such as the ‘mad scientist’ of horror or ‘once upon a time’ as introduction to fairytales. Similar to a cliché, but not necessarily pejorative.