pyrrhic
9.9
About a unit of rhythm in poetry with two unstressed syllables
- adjective
- /ˈpɪrɪk/
- Literature
:
pírrico
- The use of a pyrrhic can add complexity to a poem, challenging the reader's expectations of stress patterns.
Examples
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In poetry, a line that features a pyrrhic foot signals a rhythmic departure from the more common metrical patterns.
-
She had noticed earlier that angels, like mourning doves, coo to a Pyrrhic meter.
Fiction book (1993) -
Understanding the pyrrhic foot helps poets experiment with rhythm and create unique effects in their verses.
Compounds
Surface Forms
pyrrhic positive
Etymology
Pyrrhic (poetry) comes from a Greek war dance called pyrrhichē that had quick, light steps; poets used that image to name a very light rhythm. So a pyrrhic foot in verse is like two tiny 'unstressed' or 'light' steps in a line.