Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

terza rima

/ˌtɝtsə ˈɹimə/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.43 in modern English

Syllables: terza- ri-ma
IPA: /ˌtɝtsə ˈɹimə/

20

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An arrangement of triplets, generally in iambic pentameter in English, with rhyme scheme aba bcb cdc.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"In attempting to make the ‘Divina Commedia’ better known to English readers, it might have been held only a fitting mark of deference to my original to reproduce it, if practicable, in the metre of the poet's own choice. But on the appearance of my ‘Inferno,’ its Terza Rima was denounced as the one ‘deleterious ingredient’ which corrupted the version throughout, […]"

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian terza rima (literally “third rhyme”).

Origin

Source language: Italian

Word Breakdown

Root: terza rima

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌtɝtsə ˈɹimə/
British English: /ˌtɛːtsə ˈɹiːmə/

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

terze rime (plural)

Phrases

ottava rima

Frequently Paired Words

ottava rima terzanelle

Questions

How do you pronounce terza rima?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌtɝtsə ˈɹimə/.
What does terza rima mean?: An arrangement of triplets, generally in iambic pentameter in English, with rhyme scheme aba bcb cdc.
Where does terza rima come from?: It is traced to Italian.

How to pronounce terza rima

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “terza rima”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌtɝtsə ˈɹimə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “terza rima”.
Repeat and practice — Say “terza rima” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.