Dictionary.com

poetics

[ poh-et-iks ]
/ poʊˈɛt ɪks /

noun (used with a singular verb)

literary criticism treating of the nature and laws of poetry.
the study of prosody.
a treatise on poetry.
(initial capital letter, italics) a treatise or collection of notes on aesthetics (4th century b.c.) by Aristotle.

QUIZZES

THE OCTOBER WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS HERE TO HAUNT YOU

Search your capacious memory for the meaning of October’s words!
Question 1 of 9
Which Word of the Day from this month means, “an irrational dislike; loathing”?
zinger
élan
scunner
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of poetics

First recorded in 1720–30; see origin at poetic, -ics

Words nearby poetics

poeticism, poeticize, poetic justice, poetic licence, poetic license, poetics, poetize, poet laureate, poetry, Poets are born, not made, po-faced
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for poetics

British Dictionary definitions for poetics

poetics
/ (pəʊˈɛtɪks) /

noun (usually functioning as singular)

the principles and forms of poetry or the study of these, esp as a form of literary criticism
a treatise on poetry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012