triolet

American  

[tree-uh-ley, trahy-uh-lit] / ˌtri əˈleɪ, ˈtraɪ ə lɪt /

noun

1. a short poem of fixed form, having a rhyme scheme of ab, aa, abab, and having the first line repeated as the fourth and seventh lines, and the second line repeated as the eighth.

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triolet British  

/ ˈtriːəʊˌlɛt /

noun

1. a verse form of eight lines, having the first line repeated as the fourth and seventh and the second line as the eighth, rhyming a b a a a b a b

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Etymology

Origin of triolet

1645–55; < French: literally, little trio

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

triolet

Or perhaps we'd receive a notice from a Southern publisher to this effect: 'Have drawn on you at sight for eight quatrains and a triolet.'

From The Inventions of the Idiot by John Kendrick Bangs

Originally, the triolet was often used for serious sentiment.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Raymond MacDonald Alden

Though intended for the delicately humorous the triolet is sober-going enough to carry a thread of sentiment.

From Rhymes and Meters A Practical Manual for Versifiers by Horatio Winslow

Once a neat refrain you get, Easy is the triolet.

From The Book of Humorous Verse by Carolyn Wells

We can rhyme you couplet, triolet, quatrain, sonnet,rondolet, ballade, what you will.

From The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan by Sir W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert