iambic trimeter
- noun
- /aɪˈæmbɪk ˈtraɪˌmɛtər/
- Literature
:
trimetro yámbico
- Each line is written in iambic trimeter, and each set of four lines constitutes a quatrain.
Examples
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Patterns of alliteration in the poem's second and penultimate lines that are from the point of view of the poem's meter (iambic trimeter) are identical, occurring on the strong metrical positions in each case:
Academic text (2006) -
Shakespeare often employed iambic trimeter in his early works, showcasing the meter's musical quality.
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"For I have had too much," he says in stilted iambic trimeter, "of apple-picking: I am overtired."
Academic text (2008) -
One can easily make of the first line of "Quod Tegit Omnia" an iambic trimeter, with substitutions and a hypermetric syllable or feminine ending:
Fiction book (2000) -
As in this poem, each of Blues for Bird's 5,665 lines is cast in iambic trimeter, a meter that Gray explained in an article about the poem as his attempt to reflect jazz rhythms, especially the beat and offbeat movement within bop.
Fiction book (2002) -
In the poem, each line is composed in iambic trimeter, providing a rhythmic flow that enhances the reading experience.
-
The structure of the piece required every verse to follow the iambic trimeter, creating a consistent heartbeat throughout the poem.
How Many Feet
- Literature
7
8.2
- Literature
1
9.3
- Literature
- Literature
1
9.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'iambic' specifies the type of metrical foot (iambs) and 'trimeter' specifies a line of three metrical feet, so together they mean a line made of three iambic feet. Although the terms are specialized, a learner who knows the constituent meanings can transparently derive the MWE's definition.
Etymology
Iambic trimeter comes from the words iamb, a two-syllable beat that goes weak then strong like 'da-DUM', and trimeter, meaning three of those beats in a line. So, iambic trimeter means a line of poetry with three 'da-DUM' beats, giving a quick, steady rhythm.