Home › Glossary › Letter R

Rondeau

Form
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

A French fixed form with refrain, often 15 lines across three stanzas.

Detailed Definition
A rondeau is a French fixed form consisting of 13 lines with only two rhymes and a repeated refrain derived from the opening words; its intricate pattern (e.g., AABBA AAB AABBA) creates a hypnotic, circular effect, as seen in works by Villon and later English imitators like Rossetti.
Example
Example in poetry:
Rondeau: "In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row..." (John McCrae) follows rondeau form with refrain "In Flanders fields" and rhyme scheme AABBA AABC AABBAC.
Additional Notes
Rondeau: A French fixed form with 13–15 lines, using only two rhymes and a repeated refrain from the opening phrase; known for its tight structure and musicality (e.g., “In Flanders Fields”).
Other Meanings of “Rondeau”
Also Known As
French circle form Rondeau form Round poem Medieval French verse
Skip to main content