rhyme
RYME
/raɪm/
Repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, particularly at the ends of lines in poems and songs.
Can be exact (perfect rhyme) or approximate (slant rhyme).
The story behind the word. From Old French 'rime', influenced by Latin 'rhythmus' (rhythm). The modern spelling 'rhyme' was introduced in the 16th century under the mistaken belief that it derived directly from Greek 'rhythmos'.
Word relationships
- correspondence: 'Correspondence' is general agreement, whereas 'rhyme' is specifically sound agreement.
Commonly confused with
- rhythm: Rhythm is the beat; rhyme is the matching sound.
Word family
- rhyming (adjective): Having or using rhymes.
Collocations
- rhyme scheme
- nursery rhyme
- perfect rhyme
- slant rhyme
Idioms & expressions
- neither rhyme nor reason
Example sentences
- "The poem follows a simple AABB rhyme scheme across every verse." Poetic structure
Memory hook
RHYME sounds identical to TIME and CHIME, which are themselves a rhyme! Matching sounds at line ends.
When not to use
Do not confuse rhyme with rhythm; rhyme is sound agreement, rhythm is beat pattern.
Fun facts
- No word in standard English forms a perfect rhyme with 'orange' or 'silver'.
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