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Genre

Nursery Rhyme

Lyric and Short Poetic Forms

A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and other European countries, but usage of the term dates only from c. 1800. The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with nursery rhymes. Nursery rhymes can be considered a type of childlore.

Facts
Partially Attested
Place of Origin
Britain and other European countries 1
Source describes the genre as traditional in Britain and other European countries and dates the term to c. 1800; it names no single place of origin.
Notable Example
Pat-a-cake 1
Defining Trait
Traditional poem or song for children 1
Connections

Form Of Genre

Lyric Poetry, Genres
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Nursery rhyme
  • Lead, sentence 1 (place clause)
    a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and other European countries
  • Early nursery rhymes
    "Pat-a-cake" is one of the oldest surviving English nursery rhymes
  • Lead, sentence 1 (definition clause)
    a traditional poem or song for children
  • In Group: Humorous and Children Verse, Lead section
    A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and other European countries, but usage of the term dates only from c. 1800.
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