poem

Alternative forms

• poëm (rare or archaic)
• poeme (rare or archaic)

Etymology

From Middle French poème, from Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma), from ποιέω (poiéō, “I make”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpəʊ̯ɪm/, [ˈpʰəʊ̯ɪm]

  • Audio (UK)

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpoʊ̯əm/, /poʊ̯m/, [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)əm], [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)m̩], [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)m]
• (India) IPA^(key): /ˈpoʊ̯ɪm/, [ˈpo(ʊ̯)ɪm]
• Rhymes: -əʊəm, -əʊm

Noun

poem (plural poems)

1. A literary piece written in verse.
   • 2013 July-August, Sarah Glaz, “Ode to Prime Numbers”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:

     Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.

2. A piece of writing in the tradition of poetry, an instance of poetry.
3. A piece of poetic writing, that is with an intensity or depth of expression or inspiration greater than is usual in prose.

Further reading

• poem in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• poem in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• poem at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• mope, pome

Etymology

From Middle French poème, from Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma), from ποιέω (poiéō, “I make”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pom], [poəm]

Noun

poem (plural poems)

1. poem

Etymology

From Middle French poème, from Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma), from ποιέω (poiéō, “I make”).

Noun

poem n

1. poem

Noun

poem n

1. poem