cynghanedd

noun

cyng·​ha·​nedd
kəŋˈhä(ˌ)net͟h
plural cynganeddion
ˌkəŋəˈnet͟hyən
1
: a strict intricate system of alliteration and rhyme used in Welsh poetry
the knowledge of cynghanedd is shared by farm laborer and village craftsman as well as the schoolmaster and parsonWyn Griffith
2
: alliteration or alliteration and rhyme in any of the four patterns of cynghanedd
one rule is common to all the "24 measures": there must be cynghanedd in every lineA. S. D. Smith

Word History

Etymology

Welsh, from cym- com- (from Old Welsh com-) + canu to sing + -edd (noun suffix); akin to Latin com- and to Latin canere to sing

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Cite this Entry

“Cynghanedd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynghanedd. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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