Literature Glossary
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Masculine/Feminine Rhyme
Definition:
In poetry, a masculine rhyme is a rhyme that matches up single syllables. You'll see it most often in end rhymes like: "Look! It's a zombie mouse! / Quick! Run inside the house!" Mouse and house? Each is a one-syllable word.
Feminine rhyme, on the other hand rhymes not one, but two syllables—the first syllable stressed, the second unstressed. That's why it's also called double rhyme. For example: "I kidnapped some weasels / And now I have the measles." That's a feminine rhyme because wea and mea rhyme and sels and sles rhyme.
So what's up with rhymes having genders? It wasn't our idea, but experts suggest that masculine rhyme gets its name because that type of rhyme is usually stronger and more forceful. We like to think that feminine rhyme gets its name because it's so good at multitasking.