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Cadential rhyme

Rhyme
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 rhyme placed at a metrically weak or unstressed line ending, subtly undermining expected closure for expressive or ironic effect.

Detailed Definition
Cadential rhyme emphasizes the musical resolution at line endings through strong, harmonious rhymes that provide structural closure; it enhances the poem’s lyrical flow and emotional punctuation, often anchoring stanzas in traditional forms like the sonnet or ballad.
Example
Example in poetry:
Cadential rhyme in sonnet’s final couplet: "If this be error and upon me proved, / I never writ, nor no man ever loved"; Spenserian stanza’s alexandrine provides cadential rhyme; Contemporary example: "We part at dawn— / love’s truth is gone"; Cadential rhyme offers sonic resolution; The rhyme seals the poem’s argument
Additional Notes
End rhyme creating rhythmic closure. Related: cadential close, terminal rhyme. Reinforces closure through both sonic and rhythmic resolution. Standard in forms requiring strong stanzaic definition.
Also Known As
Cadential sound correspondence rhythmic rhyme falling rhyme closing rhyme
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