Poetry

Definition

Literature in metrical or rhythmic form expressing ideas, emotions, and images through the concentrated and musical use of language—humanity’s oldest and most universal art form.

Detailed

Literature in metrical or rhythmic form expressing ideas, emotions, and images through the concentrated and musical use of language—humanity’s oldest and most universal art form. From Greek ‘poíēsis’ (making/creation), from ‘poiein’ (to make). Sanskrit ‘kāvya’. Arabic ‘shi’r’. Poetry as the oldest literary art—predating writing (oral traditions). Shelley: ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.’

Etymology

From Greek ‘poíēsis’ (making/creation), from ‘poiein’ (to make). Sanskrit ‘kāvya’. Arabic ‘shi’r’. Poetry as the oldest literary art—predating writing (oral traditions). Shelley: ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.’

Explanations

Conceptual Breakdown

Literature in metrical or rhythmic form expressing ideas, emotions, and images through the concentrated and musical use of language—humanity’s oldest and most universal art form.

Translations & Equivalents

Videos

More video explanations by language

• Poésie: Langage Universel de l’Expression Humaine
• Poesia: Linguagem Universal da Expressão Humana
• الشعر: اللغة العالمية للتعبير الإنساني
• कविता: मानव अभिव्यक्ति की सार्वभौमिक भाषा
• 诗歌：人类表达的普世语言
• 詩：人類表現の普遍的言語
• Poesie: Universelle Sprache menschlichen Ausdrucks
• Поэзия: Универсальный Язык Человеческого Выражения
• Poesia: Linguaggio Universale dell’Espressione Umana
• Poetry – Polish Explanation
• Poetry – Danish Explanation
• Poetry – Bengali Explanation
• Poetry – Indonesian Explanation
• Poetry – Malay Explanation
• Poetry – Filipino Explanation
• Poetry – Persian Explanation
• Poetry – Greek Explanation
• Poetry – Tamil Explanation
• Poetry – Urdu Explanation
• Poetry – Hebrew Explanation
• Poetry – Telugu Explanation
• Poetry – Gujarati Explanation
• Poetry – Kannada Explanation
• Poetry – Malayalam Explanation
• 詩歌：人類表達的普世語言
• Poesi: Universellt Språk för Mänskligt Uttryck
• Poetry – Javanese Explanation
• Poetry – Korean (cultural loan) Explanation
• Poetry – Latin Explanation
• Poetry – Marathi Explanation
• Poetry – Sanskrit Explanation
• Poetry – Tongan Explanation
• Poetry – Welsh Explanation
• Poetry – Wolof Explanation
• Poetry – Xhosa Explanation
• Poetry – Zulu/Xhosa Explanation

Synonyms

verse, rhyme, lyrics, stanza, ode

Antonyms

prose, silence