Final answer:
The word "squally" closely resembles the literary device known as onomatopoeia, which is a word that imitates the sound it describes. 'Squally' evokes the sound of gusty weather, thus Option D: Onomatopoeia is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word "squally" does not relate to the literary devices of simile, metaphor, or personification directly. Instead, it is an adjective commonly used to describe a kind of weather that is gusty or characterized by brief, violent winds, often accompanied by rain or snow.
However, the closest literary device to the word "squally" in the context of sounds that words make would be onomatopoeia, which is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound it describes.
Onomatopoeia is often used in literature to create a sense of realism or to engage the reader's senses by mimicking natural sounds. Authors may use onomatopoeic words to help the reader hear the action of the story in their minds, bringing the scene to life.
While "squally" may not strictly be considered an onomatopoeic word since it does not directly imitate a sound, it still carries an auditory quality that can evoke the sounds of a rough weather scenario in the reader's imagination.
So, in response to the student's question, the correct option for the literary device used by the word "squally" is Option D: Onomatopoeia.