Home › Glossary › Letter A

Archilochian trimeter

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 three-foot line attributed to Archilochus, combining iambic and dactylic elements

Detailed Definition
Archilochian trimeter is a three-foot line derived from Archilochus’s meters, usually iambic with substitutions or catalexis; it provides a compact, punchy rhythm for epigrams, satires, or dramatic utterances, balancing regularity with expressive flexibility.
Example
Example in poetry:
Archilochian trimeter: Three-foot Archilochian line; e.g., in Greek iambic trimeter with dactylic substitutions, as used in satirical verse by Archilochus himself.
Additional Notes
Three-foot line in Archilochian metrical pattern. Important in classical Greek verse, often combined with other meters. Study quantitative meter principles. Related to iambic trimeter but with specific variations.
Also Known As
Archilochus trimeter Greek iambic three-foot Archilochian three-line
Skip to main content