pantoum

[ pan-toom ]

noun

1. a Malay verse form consisting of an indefinite number of quatrains with the second and fourth lines of each quatrain repeated as the first and third lines of the following one.

pantoum

/ pænˈtuːm /

noun

1. prosody a verse form consisting of a series of quatrains in which the second and fourth lines of each verse are repeated as the first and third lines of the next

Word History and Origins

Origin of pantoum¹

1880–85; < French, erroneous spelling for pantoun < Malay pantun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pantoum¹

C19: via French from Malay pantun

Example Sentences

The pantoum is of Eastern origin, but it came into English through the French.

From Project Gutenberg