pillow word

noun

In Japanese waka poetry, a poetic device where a certain introductory phrase is commonly used to allude to something else.

OriginJapanese 枕詞 →
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Meanings

nounpillow word (plural pillow words)

plural pillow words

  1. In Japanese waka poetry, a poetic device where a certain introductory phrase is commonly used to allude to something else.

Origin

  1. Japanese枕詞
  2. Englishpillow word

Calque of Japanese 枕詞 (makurakotoba).

More words from Japanese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 枕詞 /枕词
  • 枕詞 /枕词 (zhěncí)poetic device
French makurakotoba, mot-oreiller
  • makurakotobapoetic device
  • mot-oreillerpoetic device
  • épithètepoetic device
Italian makura kotoba
  • makura kotobapoetic device
Japanese 枕詞
  • 枕詞 (makurakotoba)poetic device
Korean 마쿠라코토바
  • 마쿠라코토바 (makurakotoba)poetic device
Cite this entry
APA

pillow word. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pillow%20word

MLA

“pillow word.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pillow%20word. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pillow word,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pillow%20word.

Source: pillow word on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.