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polysyllabic rhyme

Rhyme
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

Polysyllabic rhyme matches words of three or more syllables with identical or near-identical endings, often lending a lyrical or comic effect.

Detailed Definition
Polysyllabic rhyme occurs when multi-syllable words or phrases share identical or near-identical sounds from the final stressed vowel onward—e.g., “running” and “stunning” or “intellectual” and “inconsequential”; this sophisticated rhyming strategy adds musical complexity and wit, often employed in satirical or high-formal verse by poets like Alexander Pope or W. H. Auden.
Example
Example in poetry:
Rhymes involving words of three or more syllables: beautiful and dutiful; Triple rhymes: history and mystery; Feminine rhymes that extend over three or more syllables: celerity and prosperity; A rhyming scheme using words like circumstances and fancy dances.
Additional Notes
polysyllabic rhyme: Rhyme involving words of three or more syllables (e.g., ceremoniously / erroneously); often creates a comic, virtuosic, or highly ornate effect; is technically challenging to sustain.
Also Known As
multisyllabic rhyme multiple-syllable rhyme extended rhyme Feminine rhyme Feminine rhyme variant Mosaic rhyme
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