Explore our comprehensive glossary of poetry terms. Whether you're a student, teacher, or poetry enthusiast, our glossary will help you understand key concepts, definitions, and examples that are essential in the study of poetry.
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Term | Definition | Example |
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Xanadu | A term derived from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem "Kubla Khan", representing an idealized, exotic, or opulent place. | Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan" begins with the lines, "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree." |
Xanaduism | A literary term coined from Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan", often used to describe works that idealize or romanticize distant, exotic places. | Writers of the Romantic era frequently engaged in Xanaduism, crafting fantastical worlds filled with wonder and mystery. |
Xanthic | Referring to something yellow or yellowish, used in poetry to evoke imagery related to this color. | The fields of xanthic flowers swayed gently in the summer breeze, golden under the midday sun. |
Xenia | A Greek term for hospitality or the bond of guest-friendship, often explored in ancient poetry and epics as a social and moral code. | In Homer’s "Odyssey", the theme of xenia is central, as Odysseus encounters various hosts on his journey. |
Xenial | Relating to hospitality or relationships between host and guest, often explored in poetry dealing with themes of friendship, generosity, or social bonds. | The xenial exchange between the characters in the poem highlighted the deep bond of trust and respect. |
Xenoglossia | The phenomenon of speaking or writing in a language unknown to the speaker or writer, sometimes used in poetry to evoke mysticism or otherworldliness. | A poem might describe a prophet speaking in xenoglossia, delivering messages in a tongue no one else could understand. |
Xenophanes | An ancient Greek poet and philosopher known for his critical approach to traditional Greek mythology and his poetic critiques of the anthropomorphic conception of gods. | Xenophanes’ poetry often challenged the Homeric depiction of gods, emphasizing a more rational understanding. |
Xerophyte Imagery | Descriptive imagery in poetry that draws on plants adapted to dry environments, often symbolizing resilience or endurance. | The poem depicted the lone xerophyte, thriving amidst the barren desert, a symbol of unyielding strength. |
Xylem | Used metaphorically in poetry to describe growth, vitality, or life’s sustaining forces, drawing from the botanical term for the tissue that transports water in plants. | The poet might write, "The xylem of our love flows deep, nourishing the roots of our shared life." |