rondeau

[ ron-doh, ron-doh ]

noun

, plural ron·deaux [ron, -dohz, ron-, dohz].

1. Prosody. a short poem of fixed form, consisting of 13 or 10 lines on two rhymes and having the opening words or phrase used in two places as an unrhymed refrain.
2. a 13th-century monophonic song form consisting of two phrases, each repeated several times, and occurring in the 14th and 15th centuries in polyphonic settings.
3. a 17th-century musical form consisting of a refrain alternating with contrasting couplets, developing in the 18th century into the sonata-rondo form.

rondeau

/ ˈrɒndəʊ /

noun

1. a poem consisting of 13 or 10 lines with two rhymes and having the opening words of the first line used as an unrhymed refrain See also roundel

Word History and Origins

Origin of rondeau¹

1515–25; < Middle French: little circle; rondel

Word History and Origins

Origin of rondeau¹

C16: from Old French, from rondel a little round, from rond round

Example Sentences

In a large skillet or rondeau, heat olive oil until hot.

From Seattle Times

Ms. Parker asks, “Who knows what ‘rondeau’ means?”

From Literature

And he has also put his stamp on some shapes like a wide, two-handled rondeau and a saucier, new to Hestan’s inventory.

From New York Times

My grandpa would listen to bob rondeau through his headphones.

From Seattle Times

With the scrum and tumble of robust political debate: this messy mix, this redneck rondeau, this barbaric yawp.

From Washington Post