Ideograph (rhetoric) (original) (raw)

An ideograph or virtue word is a word frequently used in political discourse that uses an abstract concept to develop support for political positions. Such words are usually terms that do not have a clear definition but are used to give the impression of a clear meaning. An ideograph in rhetoric often exists as a building block or simply one term or short phrase that summarizes the orientation or attitude of an ideology. Such examples notably include , , and . Rhetorical critics use chevrons or angle brackets (<>) to mark off ideographs.