Petrarchan

[ pi-trahr-kuhn ]

/ pɪˈtrɑr kən /

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adjective Also Pe·trar·chi·an

[pi-trahr-kee-uhn]. /pɪˈtrɑr ki ən/.

of, relating to, or characteristic of the works of Petrarch.

characteristic or imitative of the style of Petrarch.

noun

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of Petrarchan

First recorded in 1820–30; Petrarch + -an

Livia Chiavello, of Fabriano, was celebrated as one of the most brilliant representatives of the Petrarchan school.
Woman in Science|John Augustine Zahm
As a result they introduced the Sonnet of the Petrarchan type into England.
Tudor and Stuart Love Songs|Various
The form generally used by poets writing in English is what is called the Petrarchan sonnet.
The Circus, and Other Essays and Fugitive Pieces|Joyce Kilmer
This of course was Shakespeare's method, but Shakespeare, as we have seen, was not making Petrarchan sonnets.
The Circus, and Other Essays and Fugitive Pieces|Joyce Kilmer