triolet

noun

tri·​o·​let ˈtrē-ə-lət How to pronounce triolet (audio) ˈtrī- How to pronounce triolet (audio)
: a poem or stanza of eight lines in which the first line is repeated as the fourth and seventh and the second line as the eighth with a rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, literally, clover leaf, clover, ultimately from Greek triphyllon, from tri- tri- + phyllon leaf — more at blade

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of triolet was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near triolet

Cite this Entry

“Triolet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triolet. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on triolet

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!