terza rima

noun

ter·​za ri·​ma ˌtert-sə-ˈrē-mə How to pronounce terza rima (audio)
: a verse form consisting of tercets usually in iambic pentameter in English poetry with an interlaced rhyme scheme (such as aba, bcb, cdc)

Examples of terza rima in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kendrick Lamar might be influenced by Dante’s terza rima verse form! Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021 Jean Hollander, the author of several books of poetry, took on the translation of the verse — an already herculean task made more difficult by the challenge of re-creating Dante’s terza rima tercets in English. Washington Post, 18 June 2021

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, third rhyme

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terza rima was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near terza rima

Cite this Entry

“Terza rima.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terza%20rima. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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