noun
limerick
LIHM-rihk
Limerick (noun) means a humorous five-line poem with a bouncing rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme. Example: “He wrote a limerick about the office printer.”
noun
1
A humorous five-line poem with a bouncing rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme.
"He wrote a limerick about the office printer."
"Take a look. That’s Buffy, Muffy, and Fluffy. Do they have anything in common other than names you could write a limerick around?"
— Rhonda Smiley, Sis-KaBOOM-Bah! (2006)
How to use limerick
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short, funny, rhyming poem, often a bit rude or silly.
Common pairings
write a limerick
a bawdy limerick
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Word forms
- Plural
- limericks
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He wrote a _____ about the office printer.
Etymology
Named after Limerick, a city and county in Ireland, though the exact link to the poetic form is unclear.
Rhymes for limerick
See all rhymes for limerick →Frequently asked questions
What does “limerick” mean?
The word “limerick” means a humorous five-line poem with a bouncing rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme. In plain terms, a short, funny, rhyming poem, often a bit rude or silly.
How do you pronounce “limerick”?
“Limerick” is pronounced LIHM-rihk (/ˈlɪm(ə)ɹɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “limerick” in a sentence?
Here is “limerick” used in a sentence: “He wrote a limerick about the office printer.”
What part of speech is “limerick”?
“Limerick” is a noun.
