sestina

[ se-stee-nuh ]

noun

, Prosody.

, plural ses·ti·nas, ses·ti·ne [se-, stee, -ney].

1. a poem of six six-line stanzas and a three-line envoy, originally without rhyme, in which each stanza repeats the end words of the lines of the first stanza, but in different order, the envoy using the six words again, three in the middle of the lines and three at the end.

sestina

/ sɛˈstiːnə /

noun

1. an elaborate verse form of Italian origin, normally unrhymed, consisting of six stanzas of six lines each and a concluding tercet. The six final words of the lines in the first stanza are repeated in a different order in each of the remaining five stanzas and also in the concluding tercet Also calledsextain

Word History and Origins

Origin of sestina¹

1580–90; < Italian, equivalent to sest ( o ) (< Latin sextus sixth ) + -ina -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of sestina¹

C19: from Italian, from sesto sixth, from Latin sextus

Example Sentences

Although an occasional narrative experiment might disrupt the format, what makes “Law & Order” special is precisely the fact that it has one, like a sonnet, a sestina, or an ottava rima.

From Los Angeles Times

The story’s structure resembles that of a sestina, the same elements — Jordan, Seinfeld, aluminum foil, Chore Boy and baking soda — recombining in different configurations throughout to dizzying effect.

From New York Times

There aren’t strict rules for what is poetry unless you’re trying to adhere to a specific form like the sestina, haiku or limerick.

From Los Angeles Times

Her own verse often drew on classical forms such as the villanelle, sestina, tritina and sonnet, and sometimes incorporated references to ancient mythology and medieval legend.

From Washington Post

When asked to unpack the sestina, my go-to example has been Sherman Alexie’s “The Business of Fancy Dancing,” a vibrant argument for why we employ a poetic form dating back to the 12th-century troubadours.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• ballad
• composition
• epic
• lyric
• poetry
• rhyme
• sonnet
• verse
• writing