Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

poet laureate

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.18 in modern English

Syllables: po-et- lau-re-ate
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

5

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A poet officially appointed by a government, often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events.

noun

One who received an honorable degree in grammar, including poetry and rhetoric, at the English universities; so called as being presented with a wreath of laurel.

Obsolete

noun

An officer of the king's household, whose business was to compose an ode annually for the king's birthday, and other suitable occasions; now, a poet officially distinguished by such honorary title, the office being a sinecure.

British usage

Example Sentences

""Can you imagine, Louis, an Archbishop of Canterbury, or a Poet Laureate, or a Chancellor of the Exchequer being friendly—perhaps even dining—with the editor of The Times?" "Certainly; why not?""

Usage

Obsolete
British usage

Inflected Forms

poets laureate (plural) poet laureates (plural)

Questions

What does poet laureate mean?: A poet officially appointed by a government, often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events.

How to pronounce poet laureate

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