poem
POH-ihm
Poem (noun) means a piece of writing arranged with attention to rhythm, sound, and often rhyme, expressing ideas or feelings in a condensed, imaginative way. Example: “He read a short poem aloud, and the whole room fell silent.”
noun
1
A piece of writing arranged with attention to rhythm, sound, and often rhyme, expressing ideas or feelings in a condensed, imaginative way.
"He read a short poem aloud, and the whole room fell silent."
"She recited a poem she'd written for her grandmother's birthday."
"The teacher asked the class to analyze the poem's imagery."
How to use poem
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA piece of writing, usually in verse, that uses rhythm and imagery to express ideas or emotions.
Common pairings
write a poem
read a poem aloud
love poem
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Word forms
- Plural
- poems
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He read a short _____ aloud, and the whole room fell silent.
Etymology
From Greek poiema, "a thing made," from poieo, "to make" — a poem is literally something "made" or crafted.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “poem” mean?
The word “poem” means a piece of writing arranged with attention to rhythm, sound, and often rhyme, expressing ideas or feelings in a condensed, imaginative way. In plain terms, a piece of writing, usually in verse, that uses rhythm and imagery to express ideas or emotions.
How do you pronounce “poem”?
“Poem” is pronounced POH-ihm (/ˈpoʊ.əm/ in IPA).
How do you use “poem” in a sentence?
Here is “poem” used in a sentence: “She recited a poem she'd written for her grandmother's birthday.”
What part of speech is “poem”?
“Poem” is a noun.
Where does the word “poem” come from?
The word “poem” comes from Greek. From Greek poiema, "a thing made," from poieo, "to make" — a poem is literally something "made" or crafted.
Is “poem” a common word?
“Poem” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a poem and a verse?
A poem is a complete piece of writing arranged with attention to rhythm, sound, and often rhyme. "Verse" can mean poetry in general or a single line or stanza within a poem, so a poem is made up of verse but a verse may be just one part of it.
What is the difference between a poem and a song?
Both use rhythm and often rhyme, but a poem is written mainly to be read or spoken, while a song is written to be set to music and sung. Many songs began as poems, and song lyrics are frequently described as poetry.
What is the difference between a poem and prose?
A poem is arranged with deliberate attention to rhythm, line breaks, and sound, often in a condensed, imaginative form. Prose is ordinary written language in sentences and paragraphs without those constraints, so poetry tends to compress meaning while prose spells it out.
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