Meanings
nounpoetics (plural poetics)
- human sciencesThe theory of poetry, or of literature in general.
Both significantly build on the poetics of death and dissolution that Black and Tan broached so powerfully[…].
1988 October 21, Jonathan Rosenbaum, “Bird Watching”, in Chicago Reader
Origin
From the Poetics of Aristotle.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian поетика
- поетика (poetika)the theory of poetry
Chinese Cantonese 詩學 /诗学
- 詩學 /诗学 (si¹ hok⁶)the theory of poetry
Chinese Mandarin 詩學 /诗学
- 詩學 /诗学 (shīxué)the theory of poetry
Finnish poetiikka, runousoppi
- poetiikkathe theory of poetry
- runousoppithe theory of poetry
French poétique
- poétiquethe theory of poetry
German Poetik, Dichtkunstlehre
- Poetikthe theory of poetry
- Dichtkunstlehrethe theory of poetry
Hungarian poétika, költészettan
- poétikathe theory of poetry
- költészettanthe theory of poetry
Polish poetyka
- poetykathe theory of poetry
Russian поэтика
- поэтика (poetika)the theory of poetry
Swedish poetik
- poetikthe theory of poetry
Turkish poetik
- poetikthe theory of poetry
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
poetics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poetics
MLA
“poetics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poetics. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “poetics,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poetics.
Source: poetics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.