Poetic Terms Dictionary
Sound Device

Euphony

From Greek euphonia: sweetness of sound. Keats is the supreme practitioner; Tennyson exploited it for musical effect. The opposite of cacophony.

Definition

The use of harmonious, mellifluous combinations of sounds that please the ear and suggest beauty or calm.

Example

Tennyson: 'The moan of doves in immemorial elms, / And murmuring of innumerable bees.' (Princess)

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