rhyme scheme

[ rahym skeem ]

noun

1. the pattern of rhymes used in a poem, usually marked by letters to symbolize correspondences, as rhyme royal, ababbcc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhyme scheme¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Like Nash, Mr. Osgood was not afraid to make words fit his rhyme schemes.

From New York Times

The project turned out to be just as complicated as they had feared: complex rhyme schemes, elaborate wordplay and so many songs.

From New York Times

Elsewhere, he points out that “most rhyme schemes require partnered sounds to fall no more than thirty syllables apart.”

From Washington Post

The sonnet, with its 14 lines and strict rhyme scheme, dates back centuries.

From BBC

The last line is just here because rhyme scheme.

From Washington Post