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Petrarchan sonnet

(pi trärkən)

a sonnet composed of a group of eight lines (octave) with two rhymes abba abba, and a group of six lines (sestet) with two or three rhymes variously arranged, typically cde cde or cdc dcd: the thought or theme is stated and developed in the octave, and expanded, contradicted, etc. in the sestet; Italian sonnet

See Petrarchan sonnet in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
A sonnet containing an octave with the rhyme scheme abbaabba and a sestet following any of various patterns such as cdecde or cdcdcd. Also called Italian sonnet.

Origin:

Origin: After Francesco Petrarch

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