limerick Meaning & Definition
What Does Limerick Mean?
As a noun, limerick means a light or humorous verse form of five chiefly anapestic verses of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of three feet and lines 3 and 4 are of two feet with a rhyme scheme of aabba. As a geographical name, it means county of southwestern Ireland in Munster area 1037 square miles (2696 square kilometers).
Limerick: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, geographical name |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈli-mə-rik/ |
| Syllables | 3 |
| Plural | limericks |
| First known use | 1895 |
Limerick Definition (Noun)
- a light or humorous verse form of five chiefly anapestic verses of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of three feet and lines 3 and 4 are of two feet with a rhyme scheme of aabba
Limerick as a Geographical Name
- county of southwestern Ireland in Munster area 1037 square miles (2696 square kilometers)
- city and port on the Shannon River in southwestern Ireland
Synonyms of Limerick
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Limerick synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Limerick
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Limerick in a Sentence
She recited an old limerick which elicited guffaws from the crowd
Word Forms & Grammar
limerick
limerick lace
limericks
Limerick
limerick (plural limericks)
Origin of Limerick
Origin 1: Limerick, Ireland
Origin 2: From the Irish town name Limerick, Irish Luimneach [ˈl̪ˠɪmʲənʲəx].
First Known Use
1895
How to Pronounce Limerick
You say limerick as /ˈli-mə-rik/. It has 3 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (li).