poetic

[ poh-et-ik ]

adjective

1. possessing the qualities or charm of poetry:

   poetic descriptions of nature.

2. of or relating to a poet or poets.
3. characteristic of or befitting a poet:

   poetic feeling; poetic insight.

4. endowed with the faculty or feeling of a poet:

   a poetic eulogist.

5. having or showing the sensibility of a poet:

   a poetic lover.

6. of or relating to poetry:

   poetic literature.

7. of the nature of or resembling poetry:

   a poetic composition; poetic drama; poetic imagination.

8. celebrated in poetry, as a place.
9. providing a subject for poetry.
10. of or relating to literature in verse form.

noun

1. poetics.

poetic

/ pəʊˈɛtɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to poetry
2. characteristic of poetry, as in being elevated, sublime, etc
3. characteristic of a poet
4. recounted in verse

Derived Forms

• poˈetically, adverb

Other Words From

• po·eti·cal·ly adverb
• anti·po·eti·cal adjective
• anti·po·eti·cal·ly adverb
• nonpo·etic adjective
• prepo·etic adjective
• prepo·eti·cal adjective
• pseudo·po·etic adjective
• pseudo·po·eti·cal adjective
• quasi-po·etic adjective
• quasi-po·eti·cal adjective
• quasi-po·eti·cal·ly adverb
• unpo·etic adjective
• unpo·eti·cal adjective
• unpo·eti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of poetic¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin poēticus, from Greek poiētikós; equivalent to poet + -ic

Example Sentences

Even when I choose a father figure avatar that’s wise and poetic, it doesn’t seem to help.

From Washington Post

Like many, I fell into the world of bread-baking, tending carefully to my sourdough starter and waxing poetic about my boules to my boyfriend.

From Washington Post

One is reminded of Elizabeth Hardwick’s poetic “work of memory,” “Sleepless Nights.”

From Washington Post

Before you wax poetics about whatever strikes your fancy, focus on crafting each tweet in a way that builds and supports your brand’s overall auditory identity.

From Search Engine Watch

There is a poetic feeling to the way our senior year unfolded.

From MIT Technology Review

His mature wit and poetic style drew in those around him and we connected instantly.

From The Daily Beast

Half of our music and all of our dancing is just about worshipping, praising, staring at and waxing poetic about the human ass.

From The Daily Beast

Nothing but a poetic kind of consciousness could have conceived of anything like this.

From The Daily Beast

In a poetic move, Cory is now a middle school teacher himself, following in the footsteps of his mentor, Mr. Feeney.

From The Daily Beast

And he might very well have felt the power of such poetic symmetry.

From The Daily Beast

It is full of poetic feeling, and the flesh tints are unusually natural.

From Project Gutenberg

And then what could be more deep and poetic than Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert's and Wagner's songs?

From Project Gutenberg

Many mistake the highly poetic enthusiasm which such scenes excite for the spirit of piety.

From Project Gutenberg

He possessed the poetic aspect—the broad white brow, the large blue eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

He was handsome, with the olive-tinted warmth of his southern homefairly tall, straight-limbed and lithea picture of poetic grace.

From Project Gutenberg