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Whole dimeter

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 dimeter line containing two full, unstressed-stressed (iambic) feet without truncation

Detailed Definition
Whole dimeter is a complete two-beat metrical line that fulfills its rhythmic potential without truncation or elision, typically composed of two clear iambs or trochees; its brevity and clarity make it ideal for epigrams, refrains, or children’s verse, where concision and memorability are paramount.
Example
Example in poetry:
Nursery rhyme: “Jack and Jill / went up the hill” (whole dimeter: two iambs); modern example: “The cat sat / upon the mat”; another: “She walks home / in evening light”; traditional: “Come live with me / and be my love” (first line = whole dimeter).
Additional Notes
Whole dimeter refers to a complete two-beat line that feels metrically and syntactically finished; it avoids truncation and delivers a compact, balanced rhythmic unit.
Also Known As
Complete two-beat Full short measure Standard dimeter complete dimeter full dimeter
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