Cinquain

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sɪŋ.keɪn/

Definitions

1. A structured verse form comprised of five lines with a specific syllabic arrangement that conveys a unified idea or emotion
2. This poetic style consists of five lines arranged in a particular pattern, typically exploring a singular topic or image
3. A poem made up of five lines following a fixed structure that presents a central theme or emotion

Etymology: "Cinquain" is a borrowing from French, where "cinquain" means a stanza or poem of five lines. The French word comes from "cinq", meaning five, the same number root that gives English words like "quintet" and "quintuple," so the name is simply a plain description of the verse's length. English poets adopted the term for a short form built on five lines. Because the name records nothing more than the line count, the form's identity rests entirely on that count, and the word carries no hidden story about its inventor or its first use.

Synonyms: five-line poem