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Arsis

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

In classical prosody, the stressed or lifted portion of a metrical foot; in modern usage, sometimes refers to the unstressed part—context-dependent.

Detailed Definition
Arsis denotes the stressed or metrically prominent part of a foot or measure in poetry, though usage varies by tradition; in some contexts, it refers to the upbeat or lifting motion in metrical rhythm, opposite to thesis.
Example
Example in poetry:
Arsis: The stressed or upbeat part of a metrical foot; in iambic “be-LOW,” “LOW” is the arsis, carrying the emphasis in English prosody (though definitions vary between Greek and English traditions).
Additional Notes
Unstressed syllable in classical quantitative meter; also rising part of metrical foot in accentual verse. Opposite of thesis. Greek prosody term. Essential for scansion and metrical analysis.
Also Known As
upbeat stress
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