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 of poet

• minstrel
• muse
• bard

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

On the facing page was Gompers’s block print/line drawing of the Tibetan saint and poet Milarepa sitting in a lotus position, a Sierra cup at his feet, and a Campingaz Bleuet stove resting on a boulder. — Literary Hub, 29 June 2026

Neruda, also a diplomat and politician, is considered one of the most important Latin American poets of the 20th century, having won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. — USA Today, 29 June 2026

Even more than usual, critics and Dylanologists scrutinized Modern Times for references and allusions, finding words and melodies paraphrased from the works of Muddy Waters, Bing Crosby, and the Roman poet Ovid. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 June 2026

The feature by Calvo and Ambrossi, who are known popularly as Los Javis, explores LGBT heritage and pays tribute to murdered Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca through the interconnected stories of three men in the three different eras of 1932, 1937 and 2017. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 June 2026

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