Poetic Terminology

noun a small spaniel of a breed with a silky coat and long ears

adjective showing a lack of proper concern; offhand

• The cavalier attitude of the politician towards the pressing issues was concerning.
• He was so cavalier about his responsibilities, it's like he didn't care at all.
• She's always acting so cavalier, like nothing can touch her.
• His cavalier approach to life led to many missed opportunities.

noun a derogatory term for poorly written or inferior poetry

• The poet was criticized for his use of doggerel in his latest work.
• I can't believe you wrote that doggerel for the school talent show.
• That doggerel you wrote is straight up trash.
• His speech was filled with political doggerel, designed to manipulate the audience.

adjective Dulcet is an adjective that describes something as sweet, soothing, or melodious in sound.

• The dulcet tones of the orchestra filled the concert hall.
• I love listening to her dulcet voice when she sings.
• Her dulcet voice is like music to my ears.
• The dulcet aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air.

noun a descriptive or identifying phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned

verb N/A

adjective N/A

adverb N/A

pronoun N/A

preposition N/A

conjunction N/A

interjection N/A

article N/A

• The poet used an epithet to describe the ancient warrior in his sonnet.
• She called him a mean epithet during their argument.
• I can't believe he used that epithet to insult her.
• The nickname 'The Great One' is an epithet for the legendary hockey player.

adverb before (in time)

conjunction before

• The meeting will commence ere the arrival of the CEO.
• I'll be there ere you know it!
• Let's bounce ere we get caught!
• Love can conquer all ere the darkness sets in.

adjective intensifying the meaning of the following adjective or adverb

adverb used for emphasis or to indicate a high degree of something

• The professor spoke ever so eloquently during the lecture.
• She was ever so excited to see her favorite band perform live.
• I'm ever so tired after staying up all night studying.
• The sun shone ever so brightly on the field, making it a perfect day for a picnic.

adjective exaggerated or pretentious in style or language

• The speaker's high flown rhetoric impressed the audience at the academic conference.
• I couldn't understand all the high flown language in that book.
• His high flown ideas are way too out there for me.
• Her dreams were always high flown, reaching for the stars.

adjective describing a quality of expressing emotions in an imaginative and beautiful way through words or music

• The poet's lyrical verses captivated the audience with their beauty and depth.
• I love listening to lyrical music that has meaningful lyrics.
• That rapper has some mad lyrical skills, he always spits fire on the mic.
• The dancer moved with a lyrical grace that mesmerized the onlookers.

noun a metrical line or verse

adjective relating to or characteristic of meter or poetic meter

• The poet carefully crafted the metrical structure of the sonnet.
• I struggled to understand the metrical patterns in the poem.
• I'm not a fan of the metrical stuff in poetry.
• The metrical heartbeat of the music resonated with the audience.

noun the patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry or language

adjective relating to or characteristic of prosody

• The study of prosody in linguistics focuses on the patterns of rhythm and intonation in speech.
• I find it interesting how prosody can affect the overall meaning of a sentence.
• Dude, your prosody is way off when you're telling a joke.
• Her prosody was like a symphony, perfectly conveying the emotions of the poem.

noun the analysis of poetic meter

verb none

adjective none

adverb none

pronoun none

preposition none

conjunction none

interjection none

article none

• The poet carefully considered the scansion of each line to ensure the proper rhythm and meter.
• I struggled with the scansion of the poem because I couldn't figure out the stressed and unstressed syllables.
• I just don't get the scansion stuff in poetry, it's too confusing for me.
• The scansion of her emotions revealed a hidden depth to her words.

noun a group of lines in a poem or song that form a unit

• The poet carefully crafted each stanza to convey a specific theme in his work.
• I really liked the third stanza of that song, it was so catchy!
• The last stanza of that poem was fire, it really spoke to me.
• Each stanza of the painting represented a different chapter in the artist's life.

noun a structural division of a poem or song, consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a particular way

• In poetic analysis, a strophe is a structural division of a poem.
• I had to memorize the strophe for my literature class.
• I totally forgot the strophe for the poetry recitation.
• Each strophe of the song represents a different stage of the protagonist's journey.

noun a male admirer or sweetheart

• The young swain courted the lady with flowers and poetry.
• The swain asked the girl out on a date.
• The swain was totally into the new girl at school.
• The swain of the forest whispered secrets to the trees.

noun a single metrical line of poetry

verb to compose or write verses

adjective relating to poetry or poetic language

• The poet recited a beautiful verse at the literary event.
• I really like that verse from the song you shared.
• Did you hear the new verse from that rapper? It's fire!
• In the verse of life, we must navigate through challenges and triumphs.

noun verse form or metrical composition

• The poet's mastery of versification is evident in the rhythmic flow of his sonnets.
• I struggle to understand the complexities of versification in poetry class.
• Yo, that rapper's versification game is on point!
• Her versification of emotions through her writing is truly captivating.

noun a word or thing that is third from the last in a series

adjective referring to the third from the last in a series

• The antepenultimate chapter of the book is crucial to understanding the conclusion.
• I always forget what happens in the antepenultimate episode of the TV show.
• Dude, did you see the antepenultimate scene in that movie? It was insane!
• The antepenultimate step in achieving success is perseverance through challenges.

noun a large amount or quantity

adjective great in size, amount, or extent

• The scholar had a mickle amount of knowledge on the subject.
• I didn't realize there was such a mickle of food left in the fridge.
• There's a mickle chance of that happening.
• His heart held a mickle of love for her.

noun a deep narrow valley or hollow, especially one with a stream running through it

• The picturesque combe was nestled between two rolling hills.
• Let's take a hike through that combe over there.
• I heard there's a hidden waterfall in that combe, wanna check it out?
• The combe of emotions within her was difficult to navigate.

noun a place of or a state of being overwhelmed by a situation or emotion

• The scientist conducted an experiment to study the effects of aby on plant growth.
• I heard aby is really good for your skin.
• Let's grab some aby and chill at the park.
• His words were like aby, soothing and comforting in times of distress.

noun a verse that has the complete number of syllables in its final foot

adjective relating to verse that has the complete number of syllables in its final foot

• The poem was written in acatalectic meter, with each line containing the full number of syllables.
• I can't believe how long that acatalectic poem was, it felt like it would never end!
• That acatalectic verse was so boring, I couldn't even finish reading it.
• Her acatalectic speech was like a never-ending stream of words, overwhelming everyone in the room.

noun a rare medical condition characterized by the inability to properly organize words in a sentence

• The poet used acatalexes in his sonnet to create a smooth and uninterrupted flow of words.
• I don't really understand what acatalexes are, can you explain it to me?
• I'm not a fan of poems with acatalexes, they just seem too fancy for me.
• Her speech was like a well-written poem, with perfect acatalexes that captivated the audience.

adjective a word or phrase that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'accented' describes the noun it is referring to

• The professor's accented English made it difficult for some students to understand the lecture.
• I love listening to her accented voice, it's so soothing.
• His accented speech is lit, I could listen to him talk all day.
• The painting had an accented color palette, with bold pops of red and blue.

adjective relating to or characteristic of Adonis, a figure in Greek mythology known for his beauty and attractiveness

• The poet used adonic verse in his latest work to convey a sense of elegance and sophistication.
• I don't really understand the adonic style of writing, but it sounds fancy.
• That adonic poem was so boring, I fell asleep reading it.
• Her adonic beauty captivated everyone in the room.

adverb in former times; previously

• The ancient ruins were built aforetime by a civilization long forgotten.
• Back in the day, people used to gather around the fire and tell stories aforetime.
• I heard that band used to be really cool aforetime.
• The artist's work was inspired by the beauty of nature as seen aforetime in the old paintings.