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Glite Dictionary
📚 A work of quotes 🎶 A medley 🧵 A patchwork cloth
centon

centon

9.9
A piece of writing made from lines taken from other authors
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛn.tɒn/
  • Literature
translation icon : centón
  • The scholar admired the poet's centon, which skillfully blended lines from ancient epics.

Examples

  • Her latest publication is a centon constructed from famous philosophical texts.

  • Writing a centon requires deep knowledge of classical literature and creative arrangement.

  • The poet created a stunning centon from classic literature.

  • Many authors have experimented with centons in their works.

  • The scholar admired the poet's centon, which skillfully blended lines from ancient epics.

  • Her latest publication is a centon constructed from famous philosophical texts.

  • Writing a centon requires deep knowledge of classical literature and creative arrangement.

Synonyms

chrestomathy
vscenton
  • Formal
1 9.9

A book of short texts from different authors to help learn a language or study literature

is instead arranged as a complete creative work using only quoted passages

Surface Forms

centon singular
centons plural

Etymology

Centon comes from the Latin word cento, from Greek, which meant a 'patchwork' or cloth made of pieces; imagine a quilt sewn from different scraps — that image explains why a centon is a literary work made by stitching together lines from other authors.