Spenserian stanza

noun

Spen·​se·​ri·​an stanza spen-ˈsir-ē-ən- How to pronounce Spenserian stanza (audio)
: a stanza consisting of eight lines of iambic pentameter and an alexandrine with a rhyme scheme ababbcbcc

Word History

Etymology

Edmund Spenser

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Spenserian stanza was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near Spenserian stanza

Cite this Entry

“Spenserian stanza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Spenserian%20stanza. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

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