prose

Meanings

Noun

• Language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry.
• Language which evinces little imagination or animation; dull and commonplace discourse.
• A hymn with no regular meter, sometimes introduced into the Mass.

Verb

• To write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way.

Related

Opposite words

• poetry, verse

Origin

• From Middle English prose, from Old French prose, from Latin prōsa ("straightforward") from the term prōsa ōrātiō.
• The term prōsa, a colloquial form of prorsa, the feminine form prorsus, from Old Latin prōvorsus ("moving straight ahead"), from pro- + vorsus, form of vertō. Compare verse.