in poetry, is applied to a kind of verses which rhyme at every hemistich, the middle always chiming to the end. Of which kind we find several ancient hymns, epigrams, prophecies, &c.—For instance, Muretus speaking of the poetry of Lorenzo Gambara of Brete, says,

Brixia, veftratis merofa volumina vatis, Non sunt nostrates tergere digna nates.

The following one is from the school of Salernum:

Ut viter pennam de potibus incipe connam.

The origin of the word is somewhat obscure: Pasquier derives it from one Leoninus, or Leonius, who excelled in this way, and dedicated several pieces to pope Alexander III.; others derive it from pope Leo; and others from the beast called lion, by reason it is the loftiest of all verses.