Shakespearean sonnet

American  

noun

1. a sonnet form used by Shakespeare and having the rhyme scheme abab, cdcd, efef, gg.

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Shakespearean sonnet British  

noun

1. Also called: Elizabethan sonnet.   English sonnet.  a sonnet form developed in 16th-century England and employed by Shakespeare, having the rhyme scheme a b a b c d c d e f e f g g

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Etymology

Origin of Shakespearean sonnet

First recorded in 1900–05

Compare meaning

How does shakespearean-sonnet compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Petrarchan sonnet vs. Shakespearean sonnet

Example Sentences

She could play chess, divide fractions, write in cursive, and do a strong-voiced recitation of at least three different Shakespearean sonnets.

From Literature

He consumed everything from “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill to Shakespearean sonnets.

From Los Angeles Times

Bard did get a little gooey at one point when asked to write a Shakespearean sonnet and responded seductively in one of the three drafts that it quickly created.

From Washington Times

In less than a minute, the program had created in full a rhyming Shakespearean sonnet.

From Washington Post

They aren’t exactly on par with the Brownings’ love letters or Shakespearean sonnets, but, like the president’s public messages, they are heartfelt and poignant.

From Washington Post