iambic pentameter
Say it: eye-AM-bik pen-TAM-ih-tuh /aɪˌæmbɪk pɛnˈtæmɪtə/ · noun phrase
What “iambic pentameter” means
A poetry line with five beats, each going soft then strong.
More precisely: A line of verse with five beats, each an unstressed then stressed syllable.
When to use it
When studying or discussing poetry's rhythm, especially lines built from five repeated pairs of light and strong syllables.
Memory trick
Penta means five; tap five pairs of beats: soft-STRONG, soft-STRONG, soft-STRONG, soft-STRONG, soft-STRONG.
Similar words
blank verse, metre
Quick check
You tap a verse line and hear five pairs of syllables, each light then strong. What is the rhythm?
iambic pentameter or trochaic pentameter?
Show the answer
iambic pentameter
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