CultureSeptember 2, 2026

canto

KAN-toh

Definition

A major division or section of a long narrative or epic poem.

Etymology

Derived from the Italian word for 'song,' which comes from the Latin 'cantus,' meaning 'singing' or 'song.' It was adopted into English as a structural term for poetry divisions.

In the news

The article uses the term to identify the specific part of John Milton's poem 'Paradise Lost' that Salvador Dalí illustrated in his work 'Le paradis perdu'.

Visual Arts Review: Picasso, Miró, Dalí—Between Their Pages

Read the full article ↗

The Arts Fuse

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