Dictionary

poesy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpəʊɪzi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpoʊɪzi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English poesie (Middle English po(esie) + -esy), from Middle French poesie, from Late Latin poesia, from earlier poēsis, from Ancient Greek ποίησις (poíēsis). Doublet of poiesis.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A poem.
2. (countable, uncountable) The art or composition of poetry.
3. (archaic, countable, uncountable) The class of literature comprising poems.
   • We know a poetical young gentleman—a very poetical young gentleman. We do not mean to say that he is troubled with the gift of poesy in any remarkable degree, but his countenance is of a plaintive and melancholy cast, his manner is abstracted and bespeaks affliction of soul:[…] 1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC:
   • I know not well how to excuse him, in that hee deemed his Poesie worthy to be published. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 10, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

poesiless · posy

Relateds

poesiology

Synonyms

poetry · verse

poesy en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈpəʊɪzi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpoʊɪzi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English poesie (Middle English po(esie) + -esy), from Middle French poesie, from Late Latin poesia, from earlier poēsis, from Ancient Greek ποίησις (poíēsis). Doublet of poiesis.

Meanings

1. (archaic, intransitive) To write or perform poetry.

Forms