What does clerihew mean?
A clerihew is a four-line humorous poem in a distinctive metrical pattern: two longer lines followed by two shorter lines, with the first pair rhyming together and the second pair rhyming together. Its usual AABB rhyme scheme and playful tone make it especially suitable for brief portraits, riddles, jokes, and light social commentary. The form is associated with the British poet E. Clerihew Bentley, who invented it and gave it its name. Clerihews often have a jaunty, mock-serious quality, presenting a subject through wit, puns, or an unexpectedly comic observation. Although the form is related broadly to other comic verse traditions, it should not be confused with a limerick, which normally has five lines and an AABBA rhyme scheme. The word is uncommon in everyday speech but familiar to readers of poetry, wordplay, and literary criticism, where it serves as a precise label for this particular four-line form.
nounA clerihew is a short comic poem consisting of two rhyming long lines followed by two rhyming short lines, usually arranged with an AABB rhyme scheme. The form is known for its witty, lighthearted treatment of a person or topic.
- A four-line humorous poem in which the first two lines are longer than the last two and the two pairs rhyme respectively.
"He composed a clerihew about his forgetful neighbor that made the whole office laugh."
"The newspaper printed a new clerihew about the town council's latest decision."
"She entered her clerihew in the school poetry competition and won first prize."
The standard plural is clerihews, with the final s added without changing the stress or the pronunciation of the base word.
"The evening featured several clerihews about local politicians."
The clerihew was named after its inventor, British poet E. Clerihew Bentley—an unusually direct case of a literary form being christened after its creator.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does clerihew come from?
The word was coined by British poet E. Clerihew Bentley for the comic verse form he himself invented. It is an eponymic formation from Bentley's own middle name, Clerihew. Bentley began publishing examples in the early twentieth century, and the form subsequently became known as the clerihew.
How clerihew is actually used
The word is primarily literary and informal. It names a specific verse form rather than humor in general, and is usually used when discussing a poem, its structure, or its composition.
Easily confused with clerihew
A clerihew has two long lines followed by two short lines with an AABB rhyme scheme, while a limerick typically has five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme.