poet laureate

noun

plural poets laureate or poet laureates

1

: a poet honored for achievement

2

a

: a poet appointed for life by an English sovereign as a member of the royal household and formerly expected to compose poems for court and national occasions

b

: a poet appointed annually by the U.S. Library of Congress as a consultant and typically involved in the promotion of poetry

3

: one regarded by a country or region as its most eminent or representative poet

Examples of poet laureate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chronicling the Colorado poet laureate’s relationship, work and battle with cancer, Ryan White’s Sundance-premiering film is available to stream on Apple TV. —Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025

The nonprofit noted the poet laureate program was at risk. —Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025

He was also appointed the first ever poet laureate of Miami-Dade County. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025

One thing Howard did not plan for, however, was a poem written and edited in tandem by Michigan's poet laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, and John Percy Boyd. —Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for poet laureate

• baccalaureate

Video

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'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

Kids Definition

poet laureate

noun

plural poets laureate or poet laureates

1

: a poet appointed by an English ruler as a member of the royal household and formerly expected to write poems for court and national occasions

2

: a poet regarded by a country or region as its most outstanding