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limerick

/ˈlɪmərɪk/
/ˈlɪmrɪk/
IPA guide

Other forms: limericks

A limerick is a humorous form of poetry that rhymes and has five lines. Many limericks are dirty.

When you study literature, you'll probably read some sonnets, sestinas, haiku, and plays written in verse: there might not be much attention given to limericks. That's because limericks are a more popular, non-literary form of poetry: they're mainly humorous and often sexual. A limerick has five lines and follows the rhyme scheme aabba, using what is called anapestic meter (which has to do with syllables). Many limericks involve a man from Nantucket, usually doing something unprintable with a bucket.

Definitions of limerick
  1. noun
    a humorous verse form of 5 anapestic lines with a rhyme scheme aabba
    see moresee less
    type of:
    rhyme, verse
    a piece of poetry
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