Word
poetry
Phoneticspo·et·ry, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpoʊətɹi/
UK/pˈəʊɪtɹi/
Definitions
01literary form
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. writing that uses rhythm and often rhyme to share feelings or ideas.
n. literature written in verse, often employing rhythmic patterns, imagery, and metaphorical language to convey emotional or philosophical meaning.
“She loves reading poetry before she goes to sleep at night.”
“The professor argued that modern poetry often abandons traditional rhyme schemes in favour of free verse and internal rhythm.”
Usage
Uncountable in this sense; you cannot say 'a poetry' to mean a single poem.
Antonyms
02a poet's work
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. all the poems written by a specific person.
n. the collective body of work produced by a specific poet.
“We spent the whole semester studying the poetry of Robert Frost.”
“The exhibition explores how the poet's later poetry reflects a growing preoccupation with mortality and the passage of time.”
03graceful quality
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. a quality of beauty or grace that makes you feel a strong emotion.
n. an aesthetic or artistic quality in any medium that evokes a profound emotional response or displays exceptional elegance.
“There was a kind of poetry in the way the dancer moved across the stage.”
“Critics praised the film for its visual poetry, noting how the director used light and shadow to tell a story without dialogue.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “poetry” in context.
Verb
01. read poetry
“I like to read poetry before I go to sleep because it helps me relax.”
verb + noun
02. recite poetry
“The students had to recite poetry in front of the whole class.”
verb + noun
03. write poetry
“She started to write poetry to express her feelings after the trip.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. modern poetry
“We are studying modern poetry from the 21st century in our English lesson.”
adj + noun
05. romantic poetry
“He bought a book of romantic poetry for his girlfriend's birthday.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. book of poetry
“She published her first book of poetry last year.”
noun + of + noun
07. poetry reading
“We went to a poetry reading at the local library on Friday night.”
noun + noun
Etymology
From Middle English poetrye, poetrie, a borrowing from Old French pöeterie, pöetrie, from Medieval Latin poētria, from poēta (“poet”), from Ancient Greek ποιητής (poiētḗs, “poet; author; maker”). Displaced native Old English lēoþcræft.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
01. poetry in motion
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/poetry