Couplet Meaning
/ˈkʌp.lət/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA set of two things, particularly.
nounA set of two things, particularly., A pair of lines, typically with rhyming end words.
Sentence Examples
A couplet is a short poem consisting of two rhyming lines.
He translated the couplet into English.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The poet wrote a rhyming ____ for the sonnet's closing.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ is a short poem consisting of two rhyming lines.
Word Origin & History
From French couplet, from couple + -et. Doublet of cabaletta.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"At the session, vivid displays of cultural elements related to the Spring Festival, such as couplets, dragon dance, and Chinese knots, accompanied by melodies full of Spring Festival flavor, brought the festival's rich traditions to life."
— 2024 December 9, He Yin, “UNESCO inscribes Spring Festival on intangible cultural heritage list, promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations”, in People's Daily Online:
"As residents across China are handwriting festive couplets and the character fu (fortune) to ring in the Chinese New Year, new content and creative designs have breathed new life into the tradition as topics related to the ingenuity on display have also gone trending on social media recently."
— 2026 January 8, Wu Jie, “Reimagining couplets for modern expression”, in Global Times:
"The dichotomous keys are constructed so that each couplet presents a set of alternative choices."
— 2001, Stephen T. Ross, The Inland Fishes of Mississippi, page 33:
"As long as the correct statement of each couplet is chosen, and the unknown organism is included in the key, a confident identification is usually achieved."
— 2004, Shin'ichiro Ishikawa, An Exploration of a New Poetic Expression Beyond Dichotomy:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The poet wrote a rhyming ____ for the sonnet's closing.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ is a short poem consisting of two rhyming lines.