poetical
Meaning
having the qualities of poetry; imaginative and emotional in expression
written in verse rather than prose
Structure
Usage
the novel is written in a rich and poetical style.
he described the landscape with a poetical intensity.
the prose was so lyrical it felt almost poetical.
Etymology
The word 'poetical' traces its lineage to the Ancient Greek concept of creation. Its core, 'poet', originates from the Greek verb 'poiein', meaning 'to make or create', reflecting the poet's role as a craftsman of words and narratives. The adjectival suffix '-ic', also of Greek origin via Latin, attaches to denote 'pertaining to' this creative art. The additional suffix '-al', from Latin, reinforces and often intensifies the adjectival quality, resulting in a term that describes something imbued with the imaginative, emotional, and structural characteristics of poetry itself. Thus, the literal 'pertaining to a maker' evolved into the abstract sense of possessing poetic beauty or form.
Analysis
- poet: from latin 'poeta', from greek 'poiētēs' meaning 'maker, poet', from 'poiein' meaning 'to make, create'. - ic: a suffix forming adjectives, from latin '-icus', from greek '-ikos', meaning 'of, pertaining to'. - al: a suffix forming adjectives, from latin '-alis', meaning 'of, relating to'.