Conceptism

/kənˈsɛptɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A Spanish literary movement of the 16th-17th centuries emphasizing wordplay, metaphor, and condensed wit; the style of conceptist writers.

Etymology

From Spanish conceptismo, derived from concepto (concept), with the -ism suffix. This artistic movement paralleled gongorism but emphasized intellectual wit over ornamental language.

Kelly Says

Conceptism sounds academic but it was actually about showing off—writers crammed multiple hidden meanings and clever wordplay into single lines, like Renaissance-era rap battles for educated people.

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