Adonic hexameter: A metrical line composed of six Adonic feet. An Adonic foot is a two-syllable metrical unit consisting of a long (or stressed) syllable followed by a short (or unstressed) one (/ x). Therefore, a single Adonic foot is identical to a trochee, a common metrical foot in English poetry. However, the term "Adonic hexameter" is rarely used in English poetry because the structure does not produce a particularly resonant or natural rhythm in the language. The term is more historically significant, as it was a common meter in ancient Greek and Latin lyric poetry, notably used by the Roman poet Catullus. Its presence in classical literature illustrates the diversity of metrical systems used across different languages and historical periods, and its rarity in English highlights how metrical choices are often influenced by the phonological characteristics of a language.

Six-foot line ending in Adonic (¯ ˘). Rare—hexameter usually dactylic throughout. Creates distinctive closure. Mainly scholarly interest in classical prosody.