poet

noun

po·​et ˈpō-ət 

-it,

 also  ˈpȯ(-)it

1

: one who writes poetry : a maker of verses

2

: one (such as a creative artist) of great imaginative and expressive capabilities and special sensitivity to the medium

Synonyms

• bard
• minstrel
• muse
• poetaster
• rhymester
• rimester
• versifier

Examples of poet in a Sentence

Emily Dickinson is famous as the poet who rarely left the house but often journeyed to the depths of the human heart.

Recent Examples on the Web

Guided by the voice of Pulitzer-winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the solo work uses history, memory and poetry. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025

Nature Friends Clubhouse Was Known For Its Transcendent Happenings Nature Friends is cherished as a bucolic haven that has transformed lives, according to its diverse membership that includes artists, musicians, poets, writers, sculptors, dancers, healers, families and canyon dwellers. —R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025

Romantic poets such as John Keats and Percy Shelley, who died at 25 and 29, respectively, taught readers to covet the summer of life with almost desperate intensity, and even a slight chill in the air became cause for dread. —Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025

Herzog often refers to himself—including at the beginning of this documentary—as a poet, though he’s not particularly known for writing verse. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French poete, from Latin poeta, from Greek poiētēs maker, poet, from poiein to make; akin to Sanskrit cinoti he gathers, heaps up

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing poet

• poet laureate

Kids Definition

poet

noun

po·​et ˈpō-ət 

-it

: a person who writes poetry