Riimi

Riimi is a term used in Estonian-language poetics to denote rhyme, the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, typically at the ends of lines in poetry or song. The concept is central to many poetic traditions and interacts with meter, stanza structure, and rhythm. Riimi can be classified by how closely the sounds match: exact (perfect) rhymes, where the final stressed vowels and following consonants are identical; and approximate (slant) rhymes, where sounds are similar but not identical.

Common rhyme types include end rhyme, where the last words of lines rhyme; internal rhyme, where rhymes occur within a line or across adjacent lines. Rhymes can be arranged in patterns, creating schemes such as couplets, alternating rhymes, or more complex sequences, shaping the cadence and cohesion of a poem.

In the Estonian language, riimi interacts with phonological features such as vowel harmony, stress patterns, and phonotactics, which influence which sounds are likely to rhyme and how poets construct lines. Some poets favor strict rhyming schemes, while others employ freer verse with occasional rhymes, reflecting broader trends in poetics.

In modern usage, riimi remains a tool for musicality, mnemonic aid, and expressive nuance. It is studied in linguistics and literary criticism as part of prosody and poetics, and is often analyzed alongside alliteration, assonance, and rhythm.