English sonnet
noun
: a sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a couplet with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg
called also Shakespearean sonnet
Word History
First Known Use
1890, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near English sonnet
Cite this Entry
“English sonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/English%20sonnet. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
English sonnet
noun
: a sonnet in which the rhyme pattern is in three groups of four lines each and one group of two lines
More from Merriam-Webster on English sonnet
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about English sonnet
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