Pronunciation: si'-stro-fee
The listing of many qualities or descriptions of someone or something, without providing an explicit definition.
What [a] piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action, how like an angel in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world; the paragon of animals; and yet to me what is this quintessence of dust?