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Poet Laureate

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Definition of Poet Laureate

noun (plural Poets Laureate or Poet Laureates)

  • an eminent poet appointed as a member of the British royal household.

The first Poet Laureate in the modern sense was Ben Jonson, but the title became established with the appointment of John Dryden in 1668. The Poet Laureate was formerly expected to write poems for state occasions, but since Victorian times the post has carried no specific duties. Since 2009 the post has been held by Carol Ann Duffy

Poet Laureate in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of Poet Laureate in the US English dictionary