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Feminine ending

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 line ending with an additional unstressed syllable (e.g., iambic pentameter with eleven syllables), often used for lyrical or feminine effect.

Detailed Definition
Feminine ending is a line of verse that concludes with an unstressed syllable, often creating a softer, more flowing cadence than masculine endings; common in iambic pentameter couplets and French poetry, it can imply incompleteness or grace.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare’s “To be, or not to be: that is the question” ends with unstressed “-tion”; Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”: “And that has made all the difference” (“-ence” unstressed); Feminine endings soften closure, adding lyrical flow
Additional Notes
Line ending on unstressed syllable. Creates softer, more open feel than masculine ending. Also called "double ending" if extra syllable. Related: feminine rhyme, line endings. Common in iambic pentameter variations.
Also Known As
Unstressed ending weak ending extra syllable ending hypermetric ending Added measure Weak close Feminine
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