poetry

American  

[poh-i-tree] / ˈpoʊ ɪ tri /

noun

1. the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.

2. literary work in metrical form; verse.

   Antonyms:

   prose

3. prose with poetic qualities.

4. poetic qualities however manifested.

   the poetry of simple acts and things.

5. poetic spirit or feeling.

   The pianist played the prelude with poetry.

6. something suggestive of or likened to poetry.

   the pure poetry of a beautiful view on a clear day.

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poetry British  

/ ˈpəʊɪtrɪ /

noun

1. literature in metrical form; verse

2. the art or craft of writing verse

3. poetic qualities, spirit, or feeling in anything

4. anything resembling poetry in rhythm, beauty, etc

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Usage

What is poetry? Poetry is literature that is written in verse and emphasizes the rhythmic use of words to create imagery.  Works of poetry are called poems. A person who writes poetry is called a poet. Poetry is a major form of literature. The biggest difference that sets poetry apart from other forms of writing is that poetry uses verse, which is concerned with meter, rather than prose, which does not. Poetry also may not use complete sentences or punctuation marks. Instead, poetry places an importance on using words and syllables that give rhythm to a poem. There are many different forms of poetry, such as haiku, elegies, and sonnets. While some types of poems have rules on how they should be written, poets often break the rules if the poem will be better for it. You can find more information about these and other forms of poetry in our article, “12 Essential Types of Poetry.”

Synonym Usage

Poetry, verse agree in referring to the work of a poet. The difference between poetry and verse is usually the difference between substance and form. Poetry is lofty thought or impassioned feeling expressed in imaginative words: Elizabethan poetry. Verse is any expression in words which simply conforms to accepted metrical rules and structure: the differences between prose and verse.

Other Word Forms

• poetryless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of poetry

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English poetrie, from Medieval Latin poētria “poetic art,” derivative of poēta poet, but formation is unclear; probably not from Greek poiḗtria “poetess”

Explanation

Poetry is a form of literature that follows specific forms to create a rhythm and/or rhyme scheme. Without those elements we have the poetic form known as “free verse,” but it retains an elevated language that still makes it poetry. The noun poetry goes all the way back to the Latin poesis, meaning both "poetry" and "making." It usually refers to the specific genre of poetic works, a wide variety of styles tied together by the structured use of the language, but is also used to describe any especially beautiful language. The French writer Voltaire once said, “Poetry is the music of the soul, and, above all, of great and feeling souls.”

Example Sentences

On a Reddit-style social media site called Moltbook, Moltbots seem to autonomously interact with one another, discussing everything from poetry to unionization.

From Slate • May 25, 2026

She developed, writes Ms. Lutz, a “weird, witchy” sense of humor, doodled violent images in the margins of her books and made a specialty, in her poetry and prose, of the “nocturnal and crepuscular.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

We're not going to end a dictatorship with poetry.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

During a feast where guests were expected to recite poetry, he reportedly became embarrassed because he did not know any songs or verses to perform.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

Kathy loved writing, and she wrote poetry all the time.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• verse