Poetry Glossary - Understand Poetry Terms

Term	Definition	Example
Quiddity	The inherent nature or essence of someone or something, often used in philosophical or poetic discussions to explore the unique qualities that define a subject.	The poet’s exploration of quiddity sought to capture the essence of love in its purest form.
Quietism	A form of religious mysticism that emphasizes inner stillness and the experience of divine presence, sometimes reflected in poetry that focuses on meditative, tranquil themes.	The poet’s quietism was evident in verses that invited the reader to contemplate the divine in silence and solitude.
Quintain	A five-line stanza or poem with various possible rhyme schemes and metrical patterns, often used in both medieval and modern poetry.	The poet’s quintain reflected on the passage of time, each line contributing to the somber tone of the verse.
Quirk	A peculiar or unexpected feature, trait, or idiosyncrasy, often highlighted in poetry to draw attention to the unusual or the eccentric.	The poet’s quirk in using unconventional rhyme schemes gave the poem a distinctive, offbeat rhythm.
Quixotic	Idealistic, unrealistic, and impractical, often in the pursuit of lofty goals or ideals, a term derived from the character Don Quixote and used in poetry to describe romantic or impractical notions.	The poet’s quixotic vision of a utopian world was both inspiring and tragically unattainable.
Refrain	A refrain is a line or group of lines repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem, often appearing at the end of each verse. This poetic device creates a sense of rhythm and emphasis, as key words are repeated to reinforce themes or emotions. The repetition helps to unify the structure and can evoke a stronger emotional response from the reader or listener.	The refrain of the poem emphasized its central theme.
Refrain	A repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song, typically at the end of each verse.	"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep."
Rhetorical Question	A question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.	"Isn't it a bit late to be doing that now?"
Rhyme	Correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry.	Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are.
Rondeau	A lyrical poem of French origin, typically 13 lines long with two rhymes and a refrain.	The rondeau was a popular form in medieval French poetry.

Our comprehensive Poetry Glossary, designed for students, teachers, and poetry enthusiasts alike. Whether you're delving into poetic forms, exploring rhyme schemes, or understanding the nuances of metrical feet, our glossary is an essential resource to enhance your study of poetry.

Our glossary covers a wide range of poetry terms, from alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, to the structure of free verse, which flows without a fixed metrical pattern. Learn about how stressed and unstressed syllables form the foundation of metrical feet, or explore how a rhyme scheme organizes the pattern of sounds at the end of lines in a poem.

Use the search function to quickly find terms like group of lines in a stanza or the repetition of sounds in a poem or section. Whether you're looking to understand how a series of words creates rhythmic patterns or how the number of syllables affects the flow of a line of poetry, our glossary has the definitions and examples you need.