sestet

noun

ses·​tet ses-ˈtet 

: a stanza or a poem of six lines

specifically : the last six lines of an Italian sonnet

Examples of sestet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This 14-line pseudo-sonnet roughly follows the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet with its octave (first eight lines) stating a tension and the sestet (final six lines) including a volta (or turn). —New York Times, 5 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Italian sestetto, from sesto sixth, from Latin sextus — more at sext

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sestet

noun

ses·​tet se-ˈstet 

: a group of six lines of poetry (as the last six lines of a sonnet)