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Alexandrine

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A twelve-syllable line, typically iambic hexameter in English, widely used in French classical verse and English dramatic poetry.

Detailed Definition
Alexandrine is a metrical line of twelve syllables, typically iambic with a caesura after the sixth syllable, serving as the standard line of French classical poetry; in English, it appears less frequently, often as a closing line in heroic couplets to add weight and solemnity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Alexandrine: "A little learning is a dang’rous thing;" (Alexander Pope) — a line of iambic hexameter (12 syllables), often used to conclude heroic couplets.
Additional Notes
Twelve-syllable iambic line, French poetry's epic meter. English variant: iambic hexameter. See Spenser's Faerie Queene stanzas. Named for Alexandre romances. Creates stately, dignified pace compared to pentameter.
Also Known As
Twelve-syllable line French heroic line Iambic hexameter Twelve-syllable iambic Long line
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