/ ˈpəʊətri; NAmE ˈpoʊ-/ noun
1.
[ U ] a collection of poems; poems in general
SYN verse :
epic / lyric / pastoral, etc. poetry
T.S. Eliot's poetry
a poetry reading
—compare prose
2.
[ U , sing. ] ( approving ) a beautiful and elegant quality :
There was poetry in all her gestures.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from medieval Latin poetria , from Latin poeta poet. In early use the word sometimes referred to creative literature in general.