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hendecameter

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 consisting of eleven syllables, common in classical and Romance-language poetry, often used for lyrical or narrative effect.

Detailed Definition
Hendecameter is a metrical line of eleven syllables, central to Italian, Spanish, and French prosody (e.g., the Italian endecasillabo); it typically follows iambic or anapestic patterns and supports lyrical, narrative, or dramatic expression with rhythmic suppleness, serving as the backbone of many canonical European poetic forms.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The wind that wanders through the empty hall” (11 syllables = hendecameter); Classical definition: any 11-syllable line, as in Italian or Spanish poetry; “Beneath the moon’s pale and unblinking eye” (English hendecameter); “O river, carry my sorrow to the sea” (11 syllables, modern usage)
Additional Notes
Hendecameter is another term for an eleven-syllable line, especially in classical contexts; derived from Greek “hendeka” (eleven), it’s central to Italian and Latin lyric poetry but adapted variably in English.
Also Known As
Hendecasyllable undecasyllabic meter eleven-syllable measure classical eleven-foot line
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