Envoi

Envoi

ˈenˌvoi

Noun

  • A short stanza concluding a ballade.
  • An author’s concluding words.

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Example Sentences

“The envoi made for a fitting end to the novel.”

“The lyricist composed a new envoi for the first song he ever wrote.”

“The cheerful envoi was a jarring conclusion to the tragic story.”

Word Origin

Old French, late 14th century

Why this word?

This poetic term comes directly from the Old French “envoi,” from the verb “envoyer,” meaning “to send.” The French term “en voie” means something is “on the way.” An envoi was traditionally an explanatory or advice-like remark at the end of a poem, book, or essay. In poetry, it could be used to emphasize the moral of the work and often addressed whomever the poem was written about. The traditional French poetic format has been preserved by many modern writers and artists as they craft a conclusion to a poem, piece of music, or book. It could be a few lines penned by an author to close out the saga, or a short verse that concludes the song — the envoi sends the message on its way home. 

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