Anacreontic

/ˌænəkriˈɑntɪk/ adjective

Definition

Written in the style of Anacreon; lighthearted, witty, and often celebrating love, wine, or pleasure in verse.

Etymology

Derived from Anacreon + the suffix -ic. This term developed in English literary criticism to categorize poetry that mimicked the style and tone of the ancient Greek poet's works.

Kelly Says

During the 1700s, English poets were obsessed with imitating Anacreon's fun, flirty style—so anacreontic became the fancy word for 'party poetry,' which tells you something about what intellectual society valued!

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