stanza
STAN-zuh
Stanza (noun) means a group of lines in a poem, set apart from the next group by a blank line and often sharing a fixed pattern of length, rhythm and rhyme. Example: “The poem runs to six stanzas of four lines each.”
noun
1
A group of lines in a poem, set apart from the next group by a blank line and often sharing a fixed pattern of length, rhythm and rhyme.
"The poem runs to six stanzas of four lines each."
"She changes the rhyme scheme in the final stanza."
2
A verse of a song, as distinct from the chorus.
"The second stanza tells the story from the other side."
How to use stanza
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA block of lines in a poem, like a paragraph.
When to use it
Literary and standard in the classroom.
Common pairings
opening stanza
four-line stanza
closing stanza
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The poem runs to six _____ of four lines each.
Etymology
From Italian 'stanza', meaning 'room' or 'stopping place', from the sense of each group of lines being a room within the poem.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for stanza
See all rhymes for stanza →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stanza and a verse?
In poetry the correct technical term for a block of lines is stanza; 'verse' properly means a single line or poetry in general. In songs, though, 'verse' is the normal word for the same unit, and nobody will misunderstand you.
What is the difference between a stanza and a paragraph?
Both group related material and are separated by white space, but a paragraph is organised by idea in prose, while a stanza is organised by form: a set number of lines with a shared metre or rhyme scheme.
What are stanzas of different lengths called?
Two lines make a couplet, three a tercet, four a quatrain, six a sestet and eight an octave. A poem written without stanza breaks is called continuous or stichic verse.
What is the meaning of stanza?
"stanza" (noun) means a group of lines in a poem, set apart from the next group by a blank line and often sharing a fixed pattern of length, rhythm and rhyme.
