Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

prolepsis

noun

/prəˈlɛp.sɪs/

Definition

Prolepsis is a literary and rhetorical device that involves a skip ahead in the narrative or a foreseeing of future events.

Examples

In the novel, the author uses prolepsis to reveal the fate of the main character early in the story.
During the debate, she employed prolepsis to address possible counterarguments before they were raised.
The movie’s proleptic scenes hinted at the climactic events to come.

Meaning

In grammar, prolepsis can also refer to the anticipation of an objection in an argument, as well as being a figure of speech where something is referred to before it happens.