Word
canto
Phoneticscan·to
US/ˈkæntoʊ/
UK/kˈɑːntəʊ/
Definition
n. a long section of a poem, especially one that is written in a musical or dramatic style. It is like a chapter in a book, but for poetry.
n. a long division of a poem, typically one that is written in a dramatic or musical style. Often used to refer to the structural units of epic or narrative poetry.
Examples
“The poet finished writing the first canto of his new epic.”
“Each canto in the poem tells a different part of the hero's journey through the mountains.”
“The author structured the entire narrative into five distinct cantos, each exploring a different theme while maintaining a consistent lyrical rhythm throughout the work.”
Examples
simple
“The poet finished writing the first canto of his new epic.”
contextual
“Each canto in the poem tells a different part of the hero's journey through the mountains.”
complex
“The author structured the entire narrative into five distinct cantos, each exploring a different theme while maintaining a consistent lyrical rhythm throughout the work.”
Real-World Examples
“Al pasar el cursor sobre el martín pescador anillado, se reproduce su canto, que comunica que alguien viene de visita.” Etymology
From Italian canto (“song”). Doublet of chant.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.