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choriambic foot

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 metrical unit of four syllables with the pattern stressed–unstressed–unstressed–stressed

Detailed Definition
A choriambic foot is a metrical unit in classical prosody consisting of four syllables with a long-short-short-long (— ∪ ∪ —) pattern, often used in Greek and Latin lyric poetry to create a rhythmic wave-like motion; it appears prominently in the works of poets like Sappho and Pindar, and though rare in English, it can be approximated through stress patterns to evoke solemnity or ceremonial tone.
Example
Example in poetry:
Choriambic foot (– ˘ ˘ –) appears in Greek lyric: Sappho’s fragments use choriambic foot for emotional intensity; English examples are rare but appear in Tennyson’s “The Lotos-Eaters”; the foot’s wave-like rhythm suits meditative themes; choriambic foot creates tension between stress and release; it appears in elegiac and mystical poetry
Additional Notes
choriambic foot|A metrical unit in quantitative classical meter consisting of four syllables: a long, two short, and a long (–∪∪–); it is often analyzed as a trochee followed by an iamb.
Also Known As
choriamb trochee-and-iamb unit four-syllable foot double-accent foot Choriambic meter
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