prose
B2Formal, neutral, and literary.
Definition
Meaning
Ordinary written or spoken language without a regular rhythmic pattern, in contrast to poetry.
Any creative or scholarly writing that is not in verse; can also mean straightforward, dull, or matter-of-fact expression.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a mass noun. Often contrasted with 'poetry' or 'verse'. In extended use, can describe something plain, unadorned, or lacking imagination (e.g., 'prose existence').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or primary usage. The word belongs to the same literary/academic register in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations: literary, formal, descriptive of non-poetic text.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in educational, literary, and academic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] prose (e.g., 'Victorian prose')[Adj] prose (e.g., 'elegant prose')the prose of [NP] (e.g., 'the prose of Jane Austen')write in proseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “purple prose (excessively ornate writing)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in very specific contexts like 'business proposal prose'.
Academic
Common in literature, linguistics, and composition studies. E.g., 'analysing 18th-century prose'.
Everyday
Limited, used when discussing literature or contrasting writing styles. E.g., 'I prefer reading novels in prose, not poetry'.
Technical
Used in literary criticism, philology, and translation studies.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [Rare/obsolete] He would prose on about his theories for hours.
American English
- [Rare/obsolete] She tends to prose when she gets nervous, delivering long monologues.
adverb
British English
- [Extremely rare/archaic] He spoke prose, not intending any artistry.
American English
- [Extremely rare/archaic] She wrote the letter quite prose, without sentiment.
adjective
British English
- It was a very prose work, lacking any poetic flourishes.
American English
- His report was disappointingly prose, just the facts and no narrative.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He writes stories in simple prose.
- The book is written in clear English prose.
- I find it easier to read prose than poetry.
- Her essay was good, but the prose was a bit plain.
- The author is celebrated for her elegant and concise prose style.
- The novel's lyrical prose beautifully captures the atmosphere of the coast.
- Critics have praised the translator for rendering the complex philosophical prose into highly readable English.
- Moving beyond the ornate prose of his early work, his later novels adopted a stark, minimalist style.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a ROSE that is not poetic or romantic, just a plain 'PROSE' describing its colour and thorns in simple language.
Conceptual Metaphor
Prose is a plain garment (vs. poetry's ornate costume). Prose is a straight road (vs. poetry's winding path).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: 'проза' is a direct translation and semantically accurate.
- Trap: In Russian, 'проза' can also mean 'the mundane routine of life'. This figurative use exists in English but is less common.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He wrote a prose' (should be 'a piece of prose' or 'prose').
- Incorrect: 'This poem is written in beautiful prose' (logical error—poems are not prose).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the best example of 'prose'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Prose is ordinary written language with natural flow and no regular rhythmic pattern, used for novels, essays, etc. Poetry uses structured metre, rhyme, and often more concentrated language for aesthetic and emotional effect.
Yes, but it's uncommon and often used in a literary-critical context to mean 'resembling prose; plain, unadorned'. E.g., 'a prose narrative'.
It's an idiom describing writing that is excessively ornate, flowery, or sentimental to the point of being distracting or absurd.
No. While it's the standard form for formal writing, prose can be informal, humorous, conversational, or suited for any register. It simply defines non-verse writing.
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Literary Language
C1 · 48 words · Vocabulary for reading and writing about literature.
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