virelay

or vir·e·lai

[ vir-uh-ley ]

noun

, Prosody.

1. an old French form of short poem, composed of short lines running on two rhymes and having two opening lines recurring at intervals.
2. any of various similar or other forms of poem, as one consisting of stanzas made up of longer and shorter lines, the lines of each kind rhyming together in each stanza, and having the rhyme of the shorter lines of one stanza forming the rhyme of the longer lines of the next stanza.
3. a medieval song form providing a musical setting for a virelay but having a formal structure different from that of the poem.

virelay

/ ˈvɪrɪˌleɪ /

noun

1. an old French verse form, rarely used in English, consisting of short lines arranged in stanzas having only two rhymes, and two opening lines recurring at intervals
2. any of various similar forms

Word History and Origins

Origin of virelay¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French virelai, alteration ( lay ⁴ ) of vireli, virli jingle used as the refrain of a song

Word History and Origins

Origin of virelay¹

C14: from Old French virelai, probably from vireli (associated with lai lay ⁴), meaningless word used as a refrain

Example Sentences

Virelay, vir′e-lā, n. an ancient kind of French poem in short lines, and consisting of only two rhymes, their order as well as the length of the verses being arbitrary.

From Project Gutenberg

What shall I weave for thee—which shall I spin— Rondel, or rondeau, or virelay?

From Project Gutenberg

The chevalier was singing a virelay which he accompanied by striking Rolande against the branches, then barren of foliage.

From Project Gutenberg

"Teach me another, then," said the young girl, returning the instrument to him; and Chaudoreille intoned a virelay on the great feats of Pepin the Short.

From Project Gutenberg

And then the band of flutes began to play, To which a lady sang a virelay; And still at every close she would repeat The burden of the song, The daisy is so sweet.

From Project Gutenberg