poet laureate

American  

noun

plural

poets laureate

1. (in Great Britain) a poet appointed for life as an officer of the royal household, formerly expected to write poems in celebration of court and national events.

2. a poet recognized or acclaimed as the most eminent or representative of a country or locality.

3. (formerly) a poet whose efforts were officially recognized, as by a sovereign, university, etc.

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poet laureate British  

noun

1. the poet appointed as court poet of Britain who is given a post as an officer of the Royal Household. The first was Ben Jonson in 1616

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poet laureate Cultural  

1. The national poet in Britain. Historically, the poet laureate's duty has been to compose official poetry for the king's or queen's birthday and for great public occasions, such as victories in war, coronations, and births and weddings in the royal family. The poets laureate of Britain have included Geoffrey Chaucer, William Wordsworth, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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Discover More

The largely ceremonial position of poet laureate was created in the United States in 1985.

Etymology

Origin of poet laureate

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Tennyson became the only poet laureate to be elevated to the House of Lords.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Lee has been the unofficial poet laureate of Brooklyn for nearly four decades, since Do the Right Thing introduced the world to a block of Bedford-Stuyvesant on a scorching summer day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

Camille Hernandez, a writer and poet laureate of Anaheim, was among O’Connell’s laughing audience.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

The subtle magic of the Shipping Forecast is celebrated in a special concert, in Belfast's Ulster Hall, featuring Radio 4's continuity announcers and a new work by poet laureate Simon Armitage.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025

We named our new daughter Zindziswa, after the daughter of the poet laureate of the Xhosa people, Samuel Mqhayi, who had inspired me so many years before at Healdtown.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela