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

The poet hopes to refocus attention on these issues affecting children with her next performance. —Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025

Bakunin is better known, as is the novelist Ivan Turgenev; other characters based on real people—Vissarion Belinsky, a literary critic; Nikolai Stankevich, a poet and philosopher who died at age 26—are now largely forgotten, as is Herzen’s great friend Nikolai Ogarev. —Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025

Siesbye grew up among the élite writers, poets, and artists of the early Turkish Republic. —Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025

Laila Stien, a Norwegian novelist, poet, and translator, has published several collections of short stories and poetry. —Laila Stien, The Dial, 27 Nov. 2025

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