terza rima

[ tert-suh ree-muh; Italian ter-tsah ree-mah ]

noun

, Prosody.

1. an Italian form of iambic verse consisting of eleven-syllable lines arranged in tercets, the middle line of each tercet rhyming with the first and last lines of the following tercet.

terza rima

/ ˈtɛətsə ˈriːmə /

noun

1. a verse form of Italian origin consisting of a series of tercets in which the middle line of one tercet rhymes with the first and third lines of the next

Word History and Origins

Origin of terza rima¹

1810–20; < Italian: third rhyme

Word History and Origins

Origin of terza rima¹

C19: from Italian, literally: third rhyme

Example Sentences

It is in vain to say, that it is enormously difficult to produce the terza rima in English.

From Project Gutenberg

For each quarter of the year a capitolo in terza rima was written, and a prophecy in octave stanzas was dedicated to each month.

From Project Gutenberg

In particular, it is difficult to see how any other poet of that age could have known anything about Dante's terza rima.

From Project Gutenberg

We have only a few lines of terza rima, in the Compleint to his Lady; see vol.

From Project Gutenberg

I have a friend who has undertaken to translate "Inferno" into English, keeping to the terza rima.

From Project Gutenberg