ENGLISH
REFERENCE

doha

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdoʊˌhɑ// do·ha

n. a short poem or song from India that has only two lines. Both lines rhyme at the end and have a specific rhythm.

n. a self-contained rhyming couplet in Hindi and Urdu poetry, traditionally composed in the Apabhramsha or Braj Bhasha dialects. Each line consists of twenty-four matras (beats) following a specific syllabic structure.


SIMPLE

The poet recited a beautiful doha about wisdom.

CONTEXTUAL

Many students in India learn the dohas of Kabir to understand complex moral lessons through simple, two-line verses.

COMPLEX

The doha remains a vital form in South Asian literature, packing profound philosophical insights into a rigid metrical structure that demands both brevity and lyrical precision.

Synonyms
Origin

From Arabic الدَّوْحَة (ad-dawḥa).

Usage

Commonly refers to the works of medieval poets like Kabir, Tulsidas, or Rahim.

© 2026 English Reference