tercet

[tur-sit, tur-set] /ˈtɜr sɪt, tɜrˈsɛt/
noun
1.
Prosody. a group of three lines rhyming together or connected by rhyme with the adjacent group or groups of three lines.
2.
Music. triplet (def 5).
Origin
1590-1600; < French < Italian terzetto, diminutive of terzo third < Latin tertius. See -et
British Dictionary definitions for tercet

tercet

/ˈtɜːsɪt; tɜːˈsɛt/
noun
1.
a group of three lines of verse that rhyme together or are connected by rhyme with adjacent groups of three lines
Word Origin
C16: from French, from Italian terzetto, diminutive of terzo third, from Latin tertius
Word Origin and History for tercet
n.

"three successive lines rhyming together," 1590s, from Italian terzetto, diminutive of terzo "third," from Latin tertius (see third). Spelling influenced by French tercet, from the Italian.

Encyclopedia Article for tercet

a unit or group of three lines of verse, usually containing rhyme, as in William Shakespeare's "The Phoenix and the Turtle": Death is now the phoenix' nest; And the turtle's loyal breastTo eternity doth rest,

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