eye rhyme

noun

1. sight rhyme.

eye rhyme

noun

1. a rhyme involving words that are similar in spelling but not in sound, such as stone and none

Word History and Origins

Origin of eye rhyme¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

It is, of course, a mere eye-rhyme, like many of Spenser's earlier.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Eye Rhyme

What is an eye rhyme?

An eye rhyme involves the use of words that look like they should rhyme—based on their endings being spelled the same—but that don’t actually rhyme, as in move and love or pour and sour.

An eye rhyme is also called a sight rhyme.

The typical sense of the word rhyme refers to an instance in which the endings of two or more words rhyme—meaning they sound exactly the same, as in right and sight. However, the endings of such words don’t need to be spelled the same in order to rhyme: right also rhymes with site.

An eye rhyme, though, always involves the ending of the word being spelled in the same way and not sounding the same.

Just like regular rhymes, eye rhymes are used in poetry and other forms of literature. Using an eye rhyme is another artistic way to make connections between words. For example, it can be used in verse to create an unexpected effect at the end of a line that looks like it’s going to rhyme but actually doesn’t:

Expecting a rhyme, you start to read,
But the next line just hurts your head. 

Example: Her use of eye rhymes throughout her poetry has a particularly effective disorienting effect.

Where does eye rhyme come from?

The first records of eye rhyme come from around 1800. Its synonym, sight rhyme, is first recorded later, around the 1930s.

In both his poetry and his plays, Shakespeare rhymed words like move and love and moving and loving. We read these as eye rhymes, since the o creates different vowel sounds in both pairs of words. Due to the variability of vowel sounds in English, there are many examples of eye rhymes, such as cough and bough, alone and gone, and hearth and earth.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for eye rhyme?

• sight rhyme

What are some words that share a root or word element with eye rhyme? 

• eye
• rhyme
• perfect rhyme
• full rhyme
• true rhyme
• beginning rhyme
• initial rhyme
• head rhyme
• slant rhyme
• half-rhyme
• near rhyme
• internal rhyme

What are some words that often get used in discussing eye rhyme?

• poetry
• verse
• same
• spelling
• look

How is eye rhyme used in real life?

The term eye rhyme is typically used in the context of poetry analysis.

“coot foot” is an “eye rhyme” and a fine one https://t.co/OWOITBk4SA

— Freeman Crouch (@freemancrouch) July 1, 2018

Doubt that the stars are fire,
Doubt that the Sun doth move.
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.#ShakespeareSunday #EyeRhyme

— William Shakespeare (@Shakespeare) June 30, 2019

Deeply pleased with the phrase "clunkier dossier." So close to an eye rhyme, so far from a pure rhyme.

— jane zwart (@_janezwart_) July 3, 2018

 

 

Try using eye rhyme!

True or False?

The words laughter and daughter produce an eye rhyme.