Poem

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈpəʊ̯ɪm/, ˈpʰəʊ̯ɪm
• US IPA: /ˈpoʊ̯əm/, ˈpÊ°oʊ̯əm, /poʊ̯m/

Alternative forms

• poëm rare or archaic
• poeme rare or archaic

Origin

From Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poiēma), from ποιέω (poiēo, "I make").

Full definition of poem

Noun

1. A literary piece written in verse.
• 2013, Sarah Glaz, Ode to Prime Numbers, 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.

Derived terms

Related terms

• poet
• poetic
• poetics

Holonyms

• poetry

Anagrams

• mope, pome