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Ghazal

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

A lyric form of autonomous couplets with refrain and rhyme, often on longing and loss.

Detailed Definition
Ghazal is a classical Arabic and Persian poetic form consisting of autonomous couplets (shers) linked by a refrain (radif) and rhyme (qafia), often exploring themes of love, loss, and mysticism; adapted into English by poets like Adrienne Rich, it maintains its intricate sonic architecture and lyrical intensity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ghazal: A traditional Persian form exemplified by Ghalib: "The heart says, ‘I want to cry,’ / The eyes say, ‘We’re ready to cry.’" — each couplet is autonomous, ends with a refrain, and includes the poet’s name in the final couplet.
Additional Notes
Ghazal is a Persian/Arabic form of rhyming couplets with a refrain (radif) and monorhyme (qafia), often exploring love or mysticism; each couplet is autonomous, and the poet’s name appears in the final couplet (maqta).
Other Meanings of “Ghazal”
Also Known As
Persian lyric Love meditation Couplet chain Radif poem Arabic love poem Couplet meditation Radif verse
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