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epigrammatic verse

Form
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

Verse composed of short, aphoristic units that emulate the brevity, wit, and intellectual sharpness of classical epigrams.

Detailed Definition
Epigrammatic verse delivers concise, witty, or aphoristic insights in a few lines, often ending with a twist or satirical punch; rooted in Greek and Roman models, it values precision and surprise, compressing complex ideas into memorable formulations that linger through sharpness rather than elaboration.
Example
Example in poetry:
“To see a world in a grain of sand, / And a heaven in a wild flower” – William Blake; “So all my best is dressing old words new, / Spending again what is already spent” – Shakespeare, Sonnet 76; “A man said to the universe: ‘Sir, I exist!’ / ‘However,’ replied the universe, ‘The fact has not created in me / A sense of obligation.’” – Stephen Crane; “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” – Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Additional Notes
Verse that is brief, witty, and concise, often ending in a surprising or clever turn of thought; rooted in the Greek epigram (originally an inscription); a style known for its sharp focus and economy.
Also Known As
Epigrammatic poetry Aphoristic verse Witty couplet Concise poetic quip Aphoristic rhyme Clerihewic
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