rhyme
UK[raɪm]US[raɪm]
n
A short poem or song, especially for children, using words that end with the same sound
n
The use of words that end with the same or similar sounds, especially at the ends of lines in poetry
v
(of words or lines of poetry) To end with the same or similar sounds
Etymology
The word 'rhyme' has a fascinating history of mistaken identity. It entered Middle English as 'rime' from Old French 'rime', which itself derived from Latin 'rithmus' and Greek 'rhythmos', meaning 'measured flow or movement'. The spelling was altered in the 16th century to 'rhyme', incorrectly associating it with the unrelated Greek word 'rhythmos' (rhythm) due to classical influence. This respelling permanently cemented its modern form. Originally linked to the broader concept of poetic rhythm and measure, its meaning narrowed specifically to the correspondence of terminal sounds, illustrating how a word's form can be reshaped by scholarly reinterpretation long after its adoption.
Analysis
The entire word 'rhyme' is a single, unsegmentable morpheme in modern English. It entered the language as a whole unit from Old French.
Examples
The poet carefully chose a word to rhyme with "moon."
"Cat" and "hat" form a perfect rhyme.
She taught the children a simple nursery rhyme.