Petrarchan sonnet

noun

Pe·​trar·​chan sonnet pi-ˈträr-kən- 

ˌpē-,

(ˌ)pe-

: italian sonnet

Examples of Petrarchan sonnet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This 14-line pseudo-sonnet roughly follows the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet with its octave (first eight lines) stating a tension and the sestet (final six lines) including a volta (or turn). —New York Times, 5 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca)

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above