poet laureate

noun

plural poets laureate or poet laureates
1
: a poet honored for achievement
2
a
: a poet appointed for life by an English sovereign as a member of the royal household and formerly expected to compose poems for court and national occasions
b
: a poet appointed annually by the U.S. Library of Congress as a consultant and typically involved in the promotion of poetry
3
: one regarded by a country or region as its most eminent or representative poet

Examples of poet laureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This fall, something out among the stars will be staring back at Limón, who grew up to become the U.S. poet laureate. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024 His admirers would range from the poet Joy Harjo, the country’s first Native to be named poet laureate, to the film stars Robert Redford and Jeff Bridges. Hillel Italie, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Robert Pinsky, the first U.S. poet laureate to serve three terms, will appear at the 1900 Building, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 (with Irish musician Martin Hayes, $60) and 1 p.m. Feb. 10 ($20-$45). Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 7 Feb. 2024 The release party, held at the Arts Club in Foggy Bottom, is hosted by the editors, including poet and playwright Dwayne Lawson-Brown and former poet laureate of Takoma Park Anne Becker, and features readings from the first issue and a chance to purchase a hard copy. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024 His other admirers would range from the poet Joy Harjo, the country’s first Native to be named poet laureate, to the film stars Robert Redford and Jeff Bridges. Hillel Italie, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2024 Kyle Dargan, a Cave Canem fellow in the 2000s, remembered playing basketball with Terrance Hayes (who won the 2010 National Book Award), and soaking up time with his teachers, including Rita Dove, the former U.S. poet laureate and 1987 Pulitzer Prize winner who was a guest poet in 2006. Stacy Y. China, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2023 Reyes is the county’s eighth poet laureate and will receive a modest honorarium. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024 As she was named Kansas City’s first poet laureate on Thursday, Melissa Ferrer Civil explained how, as a Black woman, poetry transformed her life. Emily Curel, Kansas City Star, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poet laureate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of poet laureate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near poet laureate

Cite this Entry

“Poet laureate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poet%20laureate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

poet laureate

noun
plural poets laureate or poet laureates
1
: a poet appointed by an English ruler as a member of the royal household and formerly expected to write poems for court and national occasions
2
: a poet regarded by a country or region as its most outstanding

More from Merriam-Webster on poet laureate

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