sonnet
Say it: SON-it /ˈsɒnɪt/ · noun
What “sonnet” means
A fourteen-line poem with a set pattern of rhymes.
More precisely: A fourteen-line poem with a fixed rhyme scheme, often about love.
Example: “For our anniversary he wrote me a sonnet. It was terrible and I loved it.”
When to use it
When discussing or writing poetry, especially a structured love poem, in a literary or affectionate tone.
Similar words
poem, verse, lyric
Where it comes from
Italian sonetto, 'little sound'.
Quick check
For a poetry assignment, you write fourteen lines arranged in a traditional rhyme pattern. What have you written?
a ballad or a sonnet?
Show the answer
a sonnet
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