Definition

Noun: A rondelet is a short, fixed-form French poem, specifically a compressed version of the rondeau. It is characterized by a strict pattern of repetition of lines and a specific rhyme scheme, typically consisting of a single stanza.

Usage

The word rondelet is used specifically in the context of poetry and literary analysis to refer to this precise poetic form. * She studied the structure of the rondelet for her poetry class. * The poet's collection included several charming rondelets.

Examples

• Writing a perfect rondelet requires skill with rhyme and meter.
• He challenged himself to compose a rondelet in English, adapting the French form.

Advanced Usage

• As a literary term: The term is used critically to discuss the constraints and features of fixed-form poetry.
  • The scholar's paper analyzed the use of refrain in the rondelet.

Variants and Related Words

• Rondeau (noun): The longer, original French poetic form from which the rondelet is derived. A rondeau typically has 13 or 15 lines.
• Roundel (noun): Another related short fixed-form poem, often used interchangeably with in some contexts, though subtle technical differences may exist.

Synonyms

• Poem: A general term for a piece of writing in verse.
• Verse: Writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, often used in a general sense.

Notes on Meaning

The primary and essentially only meaning of rondelet is the one defined above. It is a highly specific technical term from poetry with no other common definitions or idiomatic uses.

Noun

1. a shorter form of rondeau