A concise definition of Cinquain along with usage tips, an expanded explanation, and lots of examples.

What is a Cinquain? A cinquain – which, by the way, is pronounced “sin-cane,” not “sin-kwane” – is a form of poetry that is very popular because of its simplicity. It was created by American …

Oct 1, 2025 · A cinquain, from the French “cinq” for “five”, is a five-line stanza in poetry. When this one stanza sits alone as an entire poem, or when a poem is constructed (with specific rules) …

There is actually more than one way to define what a cinquain actually is, but the broadest definition is that a cinquain is any five-line poem. That’s it: a poem composed of five lines.

A cinquain is a poetic form that makes use of a pattern of five lines. E.g. The cinquain structure of five lines and a specific syllable pattern allows poets to craft concise and evocative verses, …

Cinquain, a five-line stanza. The American poet Adelaide Crapsey (1878–1914), applied the term in particular to a five-line verse form of specific metre that she developed.

Cinquain - The cinquain, also known as a quintain or quintet, is a poem or stanza composed of five lines.

Jul 20, 2021 · Cinquains are five-line poems. In the United States, the word “cinquain” typically refers to a poetic form developed by the nineteenth-century poet Adelaide Crapsey. Learn …

Adelaide Crapsey did not invent the five-line poem. The Sicilian quintain, the English quintain, the Spanish quintella, the Japanese tanka, and the French cinquain all predate hers. What she did …

Cinquain (/ ˈsɪŋkeɪn / SING-kayn) is a class of poetic forms that employ a 5-line pattern. Earlier used to describe any five-line form, it now refers to one of several forms that are defined by …