Home › Glossary › Letter C

Carmina minora

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Latin for “minor poems”; short lyrical or epigrammatic works contrasted with grander epic forms (carmina maiora) in classical literary hierarchy.

Detailed Definition
Carmina minora refers to “minor poems”—short, occasional, or lyric works as opposed to epic or major compositions; the term, used classically for Catullus’s shorter verses, denotes intimate, personal, or formally modest pieces that prioritize emotional nuance over grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
Carmina minora in Catullus’s short love lyrics; Contemporary micro-poems by Aram Saroyan: "lighght"; Carmina minora prioritize intensity over length; The form includes epigrams and occasional verse; Carmina minora distill emotion to its essence
Additional Notes
Latin term for minor verses or occasional poems, often epigrams or short lyrics. Distinguished from major works (carmina maiora). Common in classical and Renaissance collections of varied poetry.
Also Known As
Minor songs lesser poems short Latin verses small carmina
Skip to main content