Home › Glossary › Letter I

Iambic tetrameter 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 four-foot iambic line with an extra unstressed syllable beyond the norm

Detailed Definition
Iambic tetrameter hypercatalectic is a four-foot iambic line with an added unstressed syllable at the end, totaling nine syllables; this feminine ending softens the line’s closure, creating a lilting, songlike quality often used in lyrical or folk-inspired poetry to enhance musicality and fluidity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Iambic tetrameter hypercatalectic: Iambic tetrameter with an extra unstressed syllable: “The way through the woods was long and slowly worn” — the feminine ending extends the line.
Additional Notes
Iambic tetrameter with extra syllable(s) beyond four feet. Related: hypercatalexis, tetrameter. Study: extension beyond tetrameter's natural balance.
Also Known As
Extended iambic tetrameter Overlong four-foot iambic Surplus tetrameter Hyper-extended rising line
Skip to main content