Petrarch

American  

[pee-trahrk, pe-] / ˈpi trɑrk, ˈpɛ- /

noun

1. Francesco Petrarca, 1304–74, Italian poet and scholar.

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Petrarch British  

/ ˈpɛtrɑːk /

noun

1. Italian name Francesco Petrarca. 1304–74, Italian lyric poet and scholar, who greatly influenced the values of the Renaissance. His collection of poems Canzoniere, inspired by his ideal love for Laura, was written in the Tuscan dialect. He also wrote much in Latin, esp the epic poem Africa (1341) and the Secretum (1342), a spiritual self-analysis

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Petrarchan
  adjective

Example Sentences

Ultimately, we can only hope that what Petrarch said in his time is true in ours.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2024

But the diamond-shaped panel does illustrate a line from the poet Petrarch about chasing desire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 2021

In the medieval era, until Petrarch and the seeds of the Renaissance, it was Latin that was read.

From The Guardian • Nov. 13, 2019

The beguiling young soprano Julia Bullock was the soloist in Mr. Berger’s mysterious and hazy 22-minute work — settings of seven love poems by Petrarch.

From New York Times • Mar. 13, 2017

And so did Keats, Shakespeare and Petrarch, and all the rest, and it was in The Romaunt of the Rose.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan