What does doggerel mean?
Doggerel is a noun referring to comic, burlesque, or otherwise trivial verse composed in an irregular or deliberately clumsy manner. It typically describes poetry that is light-hearted, humorous, or intentionally rough in style — often written for amusement rather than artistic merit. The term carries a mildly derogatory tone when used critically of poor-quality verse, yet it can also be affectionate when describing playful, informal compositions such as birthday-card rhymes or satirical jingles. Doggerel has a long literary history: Chaucer used the word in the fourteenth century, and it has since come to denote a recognisable genre of comic verse found in nursery rhymes, limericks, political satire, and bawdy ballads. Though rarely used in formal criticism today, the word remains valuable for distinguishing deliberately rough or comic verse from more polished forms of poetry, and it appears regularly in discussions of satire, popular culture, and the history of English literature.
Comic or burlesque verse of irregular rhythm and trivial content, often deliberately clumsy in its composition.
"The poet filled the margins of his notebook with doggerel between serious drafts."
Can be used pejoratively for bad poetry or appreciatively for playful verse.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of doggerel; crudely or comically versified.
"His doggerel efforts were better suited to a greeting card than a poetry anthology."
Rarely pluralised in practice, as doggerel is usually treated as an uncountable mass noun referring to a category of verse. When a plural does occur it refers to individual pieces or examples of doggerel verse.
"The archive contains dozens of Victorian doggerels clipped from old newspapers."
Even Chaucer mocked 'rym dogerel' back in the 14th century — some poetry has been lovingly bad for over 600 years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of doggerel
The word 'doggerel' first appeared in Middle English during the late medieval period, with Chaucer using the form 'rym dogerel' in the late fourteenth century. Its precise etymological origin is uncertain, though it may derive from 'dogger' (a crude or inferior worker) combined with the diminutive suffix '-el', suggesting verse fit only for a lowly or unskilled practitioner. The association with dogs — implying something of poor or contemptible quality — has often been proposed, though this link remains speculative rather than definitively established. Despite its obscure roots, the word has remained remarkably stable in form and meaning across more than six centuries of English usage.
How doggerel is actually used
Doggerel carries a mildly derogatory connotation when applied to bad poetry, but can also be affectionate when describing deliberately playful verse. The adjective sense (e.g. 'doggerel verse') is less common than the noun but still attested. The word is standard in both British and American English with no regional variation.
Easily confused with doggerel
Dogma refers to an authoritative principle or belief, whereas doggerel refers to comic or trivially composed verse.