noun

sonnet

/ˈsɒnɪt/ · say it: SON·it

a fourteen-line poem with a fixed rhyme scheme

In Literary English

In more detail

1. (noun) a poem with 14 lines, usually written in a particular rhyme scheme and meter

Examples

Shakespeare wrote many famous sonnets about love and beauty.

How to use sonnet

A sonnet is a highly structured poetic form with specific requirements regarding line count, rhyme scheme, and meter, most famously associated with Shakespeare and Italian Renaissance poetry. It appears in both literary analysis and creative writing contexts, often used by poets working in traditional or classical styles.

Common phrases

write a sonnet
compose a sonnet
Shakespearean sonnet
Petrarchan sonnet
sonnet sequence

Synonyms

poem · verse

Word family

sonneteer (noun) · sonnetize (verb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes assume all sonnets follow the same rhyme scheme, when in fact there are distinct variants (English/Shakespearean vs. Italian/Petrarchan) with different patterns.

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