limerick
noun
lim·er·ick ˈli-mə-rik 
ˈlim-rik
: a light or humorous verse form of five chiefly anapestic verses of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of three feet and lines 3 and 4 are of two feet with a rhyme scheme of aabba
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Chris Doyle’s limerick about police SWAT teams, used as an example for Week 1396, is a case in point. 
Pat Myers, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 The limerick packs laughs anatomical Into space that is quite economical. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Dec. 2021 My colleague Kari Sonde, who explored popcorn-frying the little buggers, recalled that after the recipe was published, one reader submitted a limerick suggesting she be fired. Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2021 By definition, a limerick is a nonsense poem of five anapestic lines, of which lines one, two and five are of three feet and rhyme and lines three and four are of two feet and rhyme. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Dec. 2021 The title doesn’t have to appear within the limerick itself. Washington Post, 17 June 2021 Write a limerick featuring a word starting with he-. Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2021 Isaac Asimov was enthralled with her and wrote her a limerick. BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2021 Isaac Asimov was enthralled with her and wrote her a limerick. BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2021 See More
Pat Myers, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 The limerick packs laughs anatomical Into space that is quite economical. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Dec. 2021 My colleague Kari Sonde, who explored popcorn-frying the little buggers, recalled that after the recipe was published, one reader submitted a limerick suggesting she be fired. Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2021 By definition, a limerick is a nonsense poem of five anapestic lines, of which lines one, two and five are of three feet and rhyme and lines three and four are of two feet and rhyme. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Dec. 2021 The title doesn’t have to appear within the limerick itself. Washington Post, 17 June 2021 Write a limerick featuring a word starting with he-. Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2021 Isaac Asimov was enthralled with her and wrote her a limerick. BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2021 Isaac Asimov was enthralled with her and wrote her a limerick. BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Limerick, Ireland
First Known Use
1895, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
limerick
noun
lim·er·ick ˈli-mə-rik
: a funny poem with five lines
Geographical Definition
Limerick
geographical name
Lim·er·ick ˈli-mə-rik
ˈlim-rik
1
county of southwestern Ireland in Munster area 1037 square miles (2696 square kilometers), population 191,809
2
city and port on the Shannon River in southwestern Ireland population 57,106
Note: The city of Limerick is the capital of the county of Limerick.
limerick
noun
as in poem
a humorous rhyming composition of five lines She recited an old limerick which elicited guffaws from the crowd Synonyms & Similar Words
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- poem
- sonnet
- rhyme
- psalm
- verse
- song
- clerihew
- triolet
- epigram
- villanelle
- lyric
- ode
- rondeau
- madrigal
- elegy
- dithyramb
- eclogue
- jingle
- georgic
- epic
- ballad
- rondel
- pastoral
- epos
- epode
- haiku
- idyll
- pastorale
- epopee
- rondelet
- poetry
- lament
- anacreontic
- idyl
- rime
- senryu
- tanka
- rune
- rondelle
- English sonnet
- poesy
- lay
- blank verse
- versification
- free verse
- minstrelsy
- vers libre
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- deuterically
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