epanorthosis
/ˌɛpənɔːrˈθoʊsɪs/
noun
- A rhetorical device in which a speaker corrects or strengthens a previous statement, often for emphasis.
- Epanorthosis can show hesitation or a desire to be more precise, as in 'We need to leave now—actually, yesterday.'
- In everyday speech, epanorthosis appears in phrases like 'I'm tired—exhausted, really.'
- When she said 'He is a good man—no, a great man,' she used epanorthosis to intensify her praise.