verse
VURS
Verse (noun) means writing arranged with rhythm and often rhyme, as in poetry. Example: “Her grandfather liked to write birthday greetings in verse, usually with funny rhymes.”
noun
1
Writing arranged with rhythm and often rhyme, as in poetry.
"Her grandfather liked to write birthday greetings in verse, usually with funny rhymes."
"He wrote the wedding toast in verse rather than plain prose."
"The old ballad was passed down for generations in rhyming verse."
2
One repeated section of a song's lyrics, distinct from the chorus.
"The crowd sang loudly during the chorus but forgot the words of the first verse."
"She wrote a new verse for the song about her hometown."
"The second verse tells the story from the other person's point of view."
3
A single numbered line or short section of a religious text such as the Bible or Quran.
"The priest read a short verse from the Bible at the start of the service."
"He memorised a verse from the Quran every week as a child."
"She quoted a verse from the Book of Psalms at the funeral."
How to use verse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPoetic or rhythmic writing, a section of a song, or a numbered line in a sacred text.
Common pairings
a verse of the song
Bible verse
free verse
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Word forms
- Plural
- verses
- Third person singular
- verses
- Past tense
- versed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her grandfather liked to write birthday greetings in _____, usually with funny rhymes.
Etymology
From Old English fers and Old French vers, both ultimately from Latin versus, "a line of writing" — literally "a turn", since a line of writing "turns" back at its end like a plough furrow.
Related words
Rhymes for verse
averse
inverse
reverse
adverse
diverse
immerse
universe
converse
perverse
disperse
traverse
multiverse
See all rhymes for verse →
Frequently asked questions
What does “verse” mean?
The word “verse” means writing arranged with rhythm and often rhyme, as in poetry. In plain terms, poetic or rhythmic writing, a section of a song, or a numbered line in a sacred text.
How do you pronounce “verse”?
“Verse” is pronounced VURS (/ˈvɝs/ in IPA).
How do you use “verse” in a sentence?
Here is “verse” used in a sentence: “He wrote the wedding toast in verse rather than plain prose.”
What part of speech is “verse”?
“Verse” is a noun.
Where does the word “verse” come from?
The word “verse” comes from Latin. From Old English fers and Old French vers, both ultimately from Latin versus, "a line of writing" — literally "a turn", since a line of writing "turns" back at its end like a plough furrow.
Is “verse” a common word?
“Verse” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “verse” have?
“Verse” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: writing arranged with rhythm and often rhyme, as in poetry.
What is the difference between verse and prose?
Verse is writing arranged with deliberate rhythm and often rhyme, as in poetry, while prose is ordinary writing organised in sentences and paragraphs without a set metrical pattern. In short, poems are typically written in verse, whereas essays, novels, and articles are written in prose.
What is the difference between a verse and a chorus in a song?
A verse is a repeated section of a song's lyrics that usually changes its words each time to advance the story, while the chorus repeats the same words and melody to anchor the song. The verse builds the narrative, and the chorus delivers the memorable, recurring hook.
What is the difference between a verse and a stanza in poetry?
In careful usage, a stanza is a grouped block of lines in a poem, while verse more broadly refers to metrical writing itself, though verse is also used casually to mean a single stanza. When precision matters, use stanza for the distinct grouped section of lines.
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