nursery rhyme

American  

noun

1. a short, simple poem or song for very young children, as Hickory Dickory Dock.

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nursery rhyme British  

noun

1. a short traditional verse or song for children, such as Little Jack Horner

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Etymology

Origin of nursery rhyme

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

We would sing her beloved Marlene Dietrich songs, or Christmas carols, or the nursery rhymes and folk songs Karli and I had grown up with.

From Literature

One subplot heavily relies on children’s nursery rhymes and playing them backwards to find hidden messages embedded in their melodies.

From Salon

Not only does she talk, but she recites venerable nursery rhymes, backward.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like amateur detectives, we learn alongside them as they click around pages about Sumerian devils, Catholic saints and the origin of the nursery rhymes “London Bridge” and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.”

From Los Angeles Times

But several of those madcap ideas flummoxed fans—Carlin pointed to the 1972 single “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which was inspired by the nursery rhyme.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cadence
• poem
• poetry
• rhythm
• tune
• verse