Petrarch

American  

[pee-trahrk, pe-] / ˈpi trɑrk, ˈpɛ- /

noun

1. Francesco Petrarca, 1304–74, Italian poet and scholar.

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Petrarch British  

/ ˈpɛtrɑːk /

noun

1. Italian name Francesco Petrarca. 1304–74, Italian lyric poet and scholar, who greatly influenced the values of the Renaissance. His collection of poems Canzoniere, inspired by his ideal love for Laura, was written in the Tuscan dialect. He also wrote much in Latin, esp the epic poem Africa (1341) and the Secretum (1342), a spiritual self-analysis

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Other Word Forms

• Petrarchan adjective

Example Sentences

Ultimately, we can only hope that what Petrarch said in his time is true in ours.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2024

But the first, Liszt’s arrangement for piano of “Pace non trovo,” one of his songs to Petrarch texts, was more than that: wistful yet fresh, altogether elegant.

From New York Times • May 11, 2023

But the diamond-shaped panel does illustrate a line from the poet Petrarch about chasing desire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 2021

This was a Greek and Roman concept that the great Renaissance thinker Petrarch championed in particular.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

In Doc’s head the monotonal opening of Monteverdi’s Hor ch’ el Ciel e la Terra began to form, the infinitely sad and resigned mourning of Petrarch for Laura.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck