poem

noun

po·​em ˈpō-əm 

-im,

ˈpōm,

 also  ˈpȯ(-)im,

ˈpō-ˌem 

1

: a composition in verse

2

: something suggesting a poem (as in expressiveness, lyricism, or formal grace)

the house we stayed in … was itself a poem

—H. J. Laski

Synonyms

• lyric
• rune
• song
• verse

Examples of poem in a Sentence

He wrote a poem about his parents.

your assignment is to write two poems about springtime

Recent Examples on the Web

Believing his prognosis was terminal, Fenn originally planned to write the puzzle poem, hide the treasure, and eventually hike back out to that same location and take his own life, hoping someone would one day discover the riches that remained at his final resting spot. —Megan McCluskey, Time, 27 Mar. 2025

The private, invite-only club is rumored to have gotten its name from an Alfred Tennyson poem of the same name meaning that the club is open all hours and the conversation flows forever, the City Journal reported in 1992. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025

That track does not appear on the album, which draws conceptual inspiration from poems contributed by the artist Nadia Marcus. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 26 Mar. 2025

Wrote poems, poetry, and just went to the studio to vent. —Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French poeme, from Latin poema, from Greek poiēma, from poiein

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing poem

• found poem
• heroic poem
• prose poem
• symphonic poem
• tone poem

Rhymes for poem

• jeroboam
• rehoboam

Kids Definition

poem

noun

po·​em ˈpō-əm  -im 

ˈpōm,

 also  ˈpō-ˌem

: a composition in verse