In AP Latin, a simile is an explicit comparison between two different things using comparison words like 'as' or 'like' (in Latin: ut, velut, sicut, qualis, similis). Per topic 6.9, you analyze how Ovid uses similes in the Metamorphoses to create vivid imagery and shape meaning.
A simile is an explicit comparison. The poet flat-out tells you 'X is like Y' using a signal word. In English that's 'like' or 'as'; in Latin, watch for ut, velut(i), sicut, qualis, ceu, and similis. The key word is explicit. The comparison is announced, not hidden, which is exactly what separates a simile from a metaphor on the AP exam.
In the Latin poetry you read for this course, similes do heavy lifting. When Ovid compares a fleeing nymph to a frightened animal, he's not just decorating the line. He's importing a whole scene (predator, prey, terror) into the main narrative so you feel the moment instead of just reading it. Your job on the exam is to do three things with a simile: identify it, quote the Latin that contains it, and explain what the comparison adds to the passage. That last step, the so what, is where points are actually earned.
Simile lives in Unit 6 (Suggested Practice – Latin Poetry), specifically topic 6.9, Ovid Metamorphoses Similes and Metaphors. It directly supports learning objective AP Latin 6.9.A: describe the use of similes and metaphors as stylistic devices in Latin texts. The essential knowledge draws the line you need to memorize. A simile is an explicit comparison using words such as 'like' or 'as,' while a metaphor implies the comparison through figurative language. Stylistic analysis is one of the core skills AP Latin tests, and simile is one of the most common devices the exam asks you to find and explain in the syllabus poetry.
Keep studying AP Latin Unit 6
Metaphor (Unit 6)
Simile's sibling, and the device it's paired with in topic 6.9. Both compare two things, but a simile announces it with a signal word while a metaphor just asserts it. 'She fled like a deer' is a simile; 'she was a deer in flight' is a metaphor. The exam expects you to keep the two straight.
Imagery (Unit 6)
Similes are one of the main engines of imagery. By comparing the action to something concrete and sensory (a hunted hare, a wildfire, a storm at sea), the poet plants a picture in your head. When an essay prompt asks how a poet creates vivid description, similes are usually part of your answer.
Ovid (Unit 6)
Ovid is the poet the CED names for simile work. His Metamorphoses similes often do double duty, describing the scene while foreshadowing the transformation to come. A character compared to an animal frequently ends up becoming one, so his similes reward close reading.
Personification (Unit 6)
Another figurative device you'll spot alongside similes in Latin poetry. Personification gives human qualities to non-human things, while a simile compares two things explicitly. They often stack in the same passage, so be precise about which one you're naming.
Simile shows up wherever the exam tests stylistic analysis. On multiple choice, expect stems like 'the figure of speech in lines X–Y is...' where you pick simile from a list that includes metaphor, personification, and other devices. On the free-response side, the 2019 exam's Short Answer Question 4 asked directly about a simile in a stimulus passage, so this is not a hypothetical skill. When a question targets a simile, you have to do more than label it. Quote or cite the specific Latin (including the signal word like ut or velut), identify the two things being compared, and explain the effect: what does the comparison make vivid, emphasize, or foreshadow? An answer that names the device but skips the Latin evidence won't earn full credit.
Both are comparisons, but the CED draws the line at explicitness. A simile uses a comparison word ('like,' 'as,' or Latin ut, velut, qualis, similis) to state the comparison openly. A metaphor implies the comparison through figurative language with no signal word. Quick test: if you can point to a word that means 'like' or 'as' in the Latin, it's a simile. If the comparison is just asserted, it's a metaphor. Mixing these up on a stylistic-devices question is one of the easiest avoidable errors in AP Latin.
A simile is an explicit comparison between two different things using words such as 'like' or 'as,' which in Latin means watching for ut, velut(i), sicut, qualis, ceu, and similis.
The difference from metaphor is explicitness. A simile announces the comparison with a signal word, while a metaphor only implies it.
Simile is tested under topic 6.9 and learning objective AP Latin 6.9.A, which asks you to describe similes and metaphors as stylistic devices in Latin texts, especially Ovid's Metamorphoses.
On free-response questions, naming the device is not enough. You need to cite the specific Latin words and explain what the comparison adds to the passage.
Ovid's similes often foreshadow transformation, so a character compared to an animal or plant is frequently about to become one.
A simile is an explicit comparison between two different things using comparison words, which in Latin include ut, velut(i), sicut, qualis, and similis. It's tested under topic 6.9 (Ovid Metamorphoses Similes and Metaphors) as a stylistic device you identify and analyze in the Latin text.
A simile makes the comparison explicit with a signal word like ut or velut, while a metaphor implies the comparison with no signal word. The CED's essential knowledge for 6.9.A states this distinction directly, so it's fair game on both multiple choice and short answer.
The big ones are ut, velut(i), sicut, ceu, qualis, and the adjective similis. If you spot one of these introducing a comparison in a poetry passage, you're almost certainly looking at a simile.
No. To earn full credit you have to cite the specific Latin containing the simile, identify what's being compared to what, and explain the effect of the comparison in context. The 2019 Short Answer Q4 is an example of the exam asking for exactly this kind of analysis.
Ovid's similes create vivid imagery by pulling concrete scenes (a hunted animal, a storm, fire) into the narrative, and they often foreshadow the metamorphosis itself. That double function is why topic 6.9 singles out his similes for analysis.