poetry

Poetry comes from Middle English poetrye, borrowed from Old French pöeterie, which traces to Medieval Latin poētria, from poēta ("poet"), itself from Ancient Greek ποιητής (poiētḗs), meaning "poet; author; maker."

The word arrived in English through French and Latin channels, and once settled in, it pushed out the native Old English term lēoþcræft, which had named the same craft before poetry took over.

It shares its root with the word poet, both descending from Greek poiētḗs, "maker."