Home › Glossary › Letter H

Hexameter hypercatalectic

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 six-foot line with an extra syllable beyond the metrical norm, creating a hypermetrical verse; it extends the line's duration, adds rhythmic weight, and can suggest overflow, expansiveness, or emotional excess.

Detailed Definition
Hexameter hypercatalectic describes a six-foot metrical line (often dactylic hexameter) that includes an extra unstressed syllable beyond the expected metrical count, typically at the end; this metrical surplus creates a feminine or extended cadence, occasionally used in classical or neoclassical verse to soften closure or accommodate lyrical phrasing.
Example
Example in poetry:
Hexameter hypercatalectic: A hexameter line with an extra unstressed syllable at the end: “And the waves rolled in with a thunderous, endless roar.”
Additional Notes
Hexameter with extra syllable(s) beyond six feet. Rare extension. Opposite: catalectic (shortened). Related: hexameter, hypercatalexis. Study: why extensions uncommon.
Also Known As
Extended hexameter Hyperextended six-foot Surplus-syllable hexameter Overlong classical line
Skip to main content