internal rhyme

noun

: rhyme between a word within a line and another either at the end of the same line or within another line

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Joshua Bennett, an assistant professor of English and creative writing at Dartmouth College, praised Gorman’s ear for internal rhyme and alliteration. —

Malcolm Gay, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Jan. 2021 Hardy even adds an internal rhyme, thrush/thus, to ornament the terminal ones. —

Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 19 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'internal rhyme.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of internal rhyme was in 1850

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near internal rhyme

internal revenue tax

internal rhyme

internal secretion

See More Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

Style

“Internal rhyme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal%20rhyme. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation