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Pyrrhic foot

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 foot consisting of two unstressed syllables, often used to vary rhythm within iambic or trochaic lines.

Detailed Definition
A Pyrrhic foot consists of two unstressed syllables (˘˘) and rarely appears in isolation; in English meter, it typically functions as a substitution within an iambic or trochaic line to create rhythmic variation, lightness, or acceleration, as in Shakespeare’s “To be, or not to be.”
Example
Example in poetry:
Pyrrhic foot in Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter: “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (“to be” = pyrrhic); In Milton: “And the loud laugh of the Hyades” – “of the” is pyrrhic; Pyrrhic foot in Wordsworth: “The world is too much with us” (“is too”); Contemporary approximation: “in the” within rhythmic flow of Terrance Hayes
Additional Notes
Metrical foot of two unstressed syllables (˘˘). Used as substitution in iambic or trochaic verse. Creates acceleration and lightness. Compare with spondee for contrast.
Also Known As
light foot unstressed pair Dibrach Pondee
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