stanza

[ stan-zuh ]

noun

, Prosody.

1. an arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem.

stanza

/ ˈstænzə; stænˈzeɪɪk /

noun

1. prosody a fixed number of verse lines arranged in a definite metrical pattern, forming a unit of a poem
2. a half or a quarter in a football match

stanza

1. A group of lines of verse , usually set off from other groups by a space. The stanzas of a poem often have the same internal pattern of rhymes .

Derived Forms

• stanzaic, adjective
• ˈstanzaed, adjective

Other Words From

• stanzaed adjective
• stan·za·ic [stan-, zey, -ik], stan·zai·cal adjective
• stan·zai·cal·ly adverb
• nonstan·zaic adjective
• unstan·zaic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stanza¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Italian: literally, “room, station, stopping-place” (plural stanze ), from unattested Vulgar Latin stantia, equivalent to Latin stant- (stem of stāns ), present participle of stāre “to stand” + -ia abstract noun suffix; stand, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of stanza¹

C16: from Italian: halting place, from Vulgar Latin stantia (unattested) station, from Latin stāre to stand

Synonym Study

See verse.

Example Sentences

“The word stops, the heart dies / The wind counts the lost goodbyes,” goes one characteristically haunting stanza.

From Los Angeles Times

They spoke on a recent day in their Berlin studio as they giggled and tripped over their own stanzas — which exploit a feature of German grammar that crams nouns together into strings of syllables.

From New York Times

He reads from a stack of loose papers, his hands moving in time with the stanzas he spits like rap bars.

From Los Angeles Times

“Obviously, the second half, definitely missed more shots,” said Wells, whose team made 2 of 11 from deep in the second stanza.

From Seattle Times

The Kings’ largest lead was 22 points late in the third quarter before the Lakers closed the stanza on a 15-5 run.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• verse