Definition of Poet laureate

1. Noun. A poet who is unofficially regarded as holding an honorary position in a particular group or region. "He is the poet laureate of Arkansas"

Generic synonyms: Poet

2. Noun. The poet officially appointed to the royal household in Great Britain. "The poet laureate is expected to provide poems for great national occasions"
Generic synonyms: Laureate, Poet

Definition of Poet laureate

1. Noun. A poet officially appointed by a government, often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events ¹

2. Noun. (obsolete) 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 ¹

3. Noun. (British) Formerly, 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. It is said this title was first given in the time of Edward IV ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Poet Laureate

poenologies
poenology
poephaga
poeps
poeses
poesie
poesied
poesies
poesy
poesying
poet
poet's daffodil
poet-singer
poet laureate (current term)
poetaster
poetasters
poetastry
poetess
poetesses
poetic
poetic justice
poetic licence
poetic license
poetic rhythm
poetical
poetically
poeticalness
poeticalnesses

Literary usage of Poet laureate

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Studies in Tennyson by Henry Van Dyke (1920)
"By Alfred Tennyson, poet laureate. London: Edward Moxon, Dover Street. 18. ... By Alfred, Lord Tennyson, poet laureate. New York and London: Macmillan & Co. ..."

2. The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. by Alexander Pope, Joseph Warton (1797)
"OF THE poet laureate, NOVEMBER 19, 1729. * HE time of the election of a Poet Laureate being now at hand, it may be proper to give fome account of the rites ..."

3. The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope, Alexander Dyce (1851)
"OF THE poet laureate. NOV. 19, 1729. ... a poet laureate being now at hand, it may be proper to give some account of the rites and ceremonies anciently used ..."

4. The Cambridge History of English Literature by Adolphus William Ward, Alfred Rayney Waller (1912)
"Dryden had now reached the height of his popularity—it was in the year 1670 that he was appointed poet laureate.1 With an arrogance which Almanzor himself ..."

5. The Quarterly Review by William Gifford, John Taylor Coleridge, John Gibson Lockhart, Whitwell Elwin, William Macpherson, William Smith, John Murray, George Walter Prothero, Rowland Edmund Prothero Ernle (1815)
"By Robert Southey, Esq. poet laureate, and Member of the Royal Spanish Academy. London: Longman and Co. 1815. Two vols. l'2mo. O poet in our language, ..."

6. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1848)
"Bernard, who was a native of Toulouse, and an Augustine monk, obtained many preferments in England ; and was besides not only poet-laureate, ..."

7. The Edinburgh Review by Sydney Smith (1836)
"With a Life of the Author, by the Editor, ROBERT SOUTHEY, Esq., LLD, Poet-Laureate, &c. Vols. I. II. ..."

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