pantun

noun

pan·​tun

variants or less commonly pantoun

pan‧ˈtün

plural -s

: a Malay verse form consisting of four lines rhyming abab of which the first two present a figurative suggestion of what is more directly and clearly stated in the final lines

Word History

Etymology

Malay pantun

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!