alliterate

UK: /əˈlɪtəˌreɪt/ US: (ə lit′ə rāt′)

Inflections of 'alliterate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

alliterates

v 3rd person singular

alliterating

v pres p

alliterated

v past

alliterated

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

al•lit•er•ate  (ə lit′ə rāt′), v., -at•ed, -at•ing. 
v.i. 

1. Poetry to show alliteration:
   In "Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran,'' the "r'' alliterates.
2. Poetry to use alliteration:
   Swinburne often alliterates.

v.t. 

3. Poetry to compose or arrange with alliteration:
   He alliterates the "w's'' in that line.

• back formation from alliteration 1810–20

al•lit′er•a′tor, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

alliterate / əˈlɪtəˌreɪt/ verb

1. to contain or cause to contain alliteration
2. (intransitive) to speak or write using alliteration