poetici

Poetici is the masculine plural form of the Italian adjective poetico, meaning "poetic." It is used to describe nouns related to poetry or poetry-inspired qualities, such as in phrases like versi poetici (poetic verses), immagini poetiche (poetic images), or toni poetici (poetic tones). In standard Italian, adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify and typically follow the noun, but the base form poetico remains the reference for masculine singular.

Etymology traces poetico to Latin poeticus, from Greek poiētikos, linked to poiēsis or poiēn, meaning “to make” or “to create,” and hence to poetry. In literary theory, the English term poetics corresponds to the Italian poetica, which denotes the theory or study of poetry. Poetici, by contrast, is not a separate theoretical category; it is simply the inflected form used in descriptive phrases.

Common uses of the adjective occur in discussions of style, imagery, and form. For example, one speaks of linguaggio poetico (poetic language) or elementi poetici (poetic elements). When referring to poetic devices, Italian typically employs the feminine plural poetiche for nouns like immagini poetiche or figure retoriche poetiche, depending on the gender of the noun.

See also: poetics, poetica, poesia, poetic language.