"Discover the language of poetry, from alliteration to zeugma."
Found 16 terms starting with "G"
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Gothic Revival | A movement that began in the late 18th century, characterized by a fascination with medieval Gothic architecture and an emphasis on romanticism, also reflected in literature and poetry. | The poet’s work was influenced by the Gothic Revival, with dark, brooding themes and a sense of the sublime. |
| Gradatio | A rhetorical device in which successive phrases or sentences are constructed in such a way that the last word of one clause is the first word of the next, creating a chain-like effect. | The poet used gradatio to build intensity, each line leading inexorably to the next. |
| Graveyard Poetry | A genre of 18th-century poetry characterized by a somber tone, meditations on mortality, and a focus on death and the afterlife. | The poet’s graveyard poetry reflected on the inevitability of death, with imagery of tombstones and overgrown graves. |
| Grisaille | A term used in visual arts to refer to a painting executed entirely in shades of gray or another neutral grayish color, often to imitate sculpture, but in poetry, it can refer to monochromatic imagery or themes. | The poet’s grisaille verse depicted a world devoid of color, where shadows reigned supreme. |
| Gutter | The space between the panels of a comic or the margin between the edge of a printed page and the main text block, but in poetry, it can refer to the visual or conceptual space between stanzas or verses. | The poet used the gutter between stanzas to create a pause, allowing the reader to reflect on the words just read. |
| Gyre | A circular or spiral motion, but in poetry, particularly in the works of W.B. Yeats, it symbolizes historical cycles or phases. | The poet’s reference to the gyre suggested a world caught in the endless cycle of rise and fall. |
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.
Finding terms is easy:
Tip: Try searching for "rhyme," "meter," or "sonnet" to get started!
Every entry includes three key parts:
Iambic Pentameter: A rhythm pattern of 10 syllables per line, alternating unstressed-stressed.
Example: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" (Shakespeare)
Note: Most common meter in English sonnets.
Our examples help you see poetry terms in action:
Our glossary covers all major areas of poetry:
Rhyme schemes, meter, alliteration, assonance
Metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism
Sonnets, haikus, villanelles, free verse
Stanzas, lines, caesura, enjambment
Sonnets are one of poetry's most beloved forms. Here's how to explore them:
Structure: 3 quatrains + 1 couplet
Rhyme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Famous: "Shall I compare thee..."
Structure: 1 octave + 1 sestet
Rhyme: ABBAABBA CDECDE
Origin: Italian tradition
• Click "S" in the alphabetical menu
• Search "sonnet" to see all types
• Look for related terms like "quatrain" and "couplet"