haiku

UK: /ˈhaɪkuː/ US: /ˈhaɪku/ ,(hī′ko̅o̅)

Inflections of 'haiku' (n): npl: haiku

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hai•ku /ˈhaɪku/   n. [countable] , pl. -ku. 

1. Poetry a Japanese poem of 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hai•ku  (hī′ko̅o̅), n., pl. -ku for 2.

1. Literature, Poetry a major form of Japanese verse, written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, and employing highly evocative allusions and comparisons, often on the subject of nature or one of the seasons.
2. Poetry, Literature a poem written in this form.

• Japanese, equivalent. to hai(kai) haikai + ku stanza; see hokku
• 1895–1900

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

haiku / ˈhaɪkuː/, hokku noun ( -ku)

1. an epigrammatic Japanese verse form in 17 syllables

Etymology: from Japanese, from hai amusement + ku verse