ballad stanza

noun

: a stanza consisting of four lines with the first and third lines unrhymed iambic tetrameters and the second and fourth lines rhymed iambic trimeters

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ballad stanza was in 1778

Dictionary Entries Near ballad stanza

balladry

ballad stanza

ballahoo

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Cite this Entry

“Ballad stanza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballad%20stanza. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ballad stanza

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ballad stanza

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