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Mar 16, 2007

This week's theme
Words related to the number 13 to mark the thirteenth anniversary of Wordsmith.org

This week's words
tridecennary
triskaidekaphobia
bakers dozen
rondeau
trecento

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rondeau

noun: A poem of 13 lines with two rhymes and the opening words used as a refrain in two places.

From Old French rondeau (little circle), from rondel, diminutive of rond (round). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ret- (to run or to roll) that is also the source of rodeo, rotunda, rotate, and roulette.

Various forms of rondeaux may have 10 or 15 lines.

"If you are new to French forms, you might want to compose a rondeau or two before attempting the redouble."
Michael J Bugeja; The Fixed Is In; Writer's Digest (Cincinnati, Ohio); Mar 1998.

See more usage examples of rondeau in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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