Home › Glossary › Letter G

Greek five-foot

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 classical Greek verse line structured around five metrical feet, commonly used in dramatic or lyrical compositions.

Detailed Definition
Greek five-foot denotes a pentameter line in ancient Greek poetry, often used in elegiac couplets where it follows a hexameter; the pentameter is typically composed of two halves of dactylic dimeter with a central caesura, creating a balanced, reflective cadence suited to personal, amorous, or meditative themes in classical elegy.
Example
Example in poetry:
Greek iambic trimeter (three metra, each two feet) totals six feet — often called “five-foot” in error; actual Greek five-foot lines are rare; may refer to pentameter in elegiac couplets (e.g., “arma virumque cano” second half); possibly a misnomer—true examples include late Hellenistic experiments.
Additional Notes
Greek five-foot likely refers to pentameter (e.g., elegiac couplet’s second line). Confirm context—often iambic or dactylic; contrast with hexameter.
Also Known As
Elegiac pentameter Greek five-beat line pentameter half-line dactylic pentameter Glyconic pentameter
Skip to main content