Ithyphallic pentameter

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 five-foot line of ithyphallics (three long syllables per foot, equivalent to molossus)

Detailed Definition
Ithyphallic pentameter is a rare, vigorous meter composed of five ithyphallic feet (– – –), a spondaic triple long syllable pattern derived from ancient Greek phallic hymns; it conveys raw energy or ritualistic intensity, though seldom used outside scholarly or experimental reconstructions.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ithyphallic pentameter: A rare metrical form with five ictal (stressed) beats per line, often used in ancient Greek phallic hymns; example: "Rise, O phallus, bold and bright, / Crowned in revel, bathed in light, / March with joy through festal night, / Singing loud with all thy might, / God of laughter, love, and right."
Additional Notes
Five Ionic feet per line. Ionic pentameter rare but theoretically possible. Creates rolling, wavelike extended rhythm. Compare with iambic or dactylic pentameter for conventional alternatives.
Also Known As
Skip to main content