Trochaic tetrameter

For the quantitative meter used in Greek and Latin poetry, see trochaic septenarius.

In English poetry, trochaic tetrameter is a meter featuring lines composed of four trochaic feet. The etymology of trochaic derives from the Greek trokhaios, from the verb trecho, meaning I run.[1][2][3] In modern English poetry, a trochee is a foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. Thus a tetrameter contains four trochees or eight syllables.

In classical metre, the word tetrameter means a line with four metra, wherein each metron contains two trochees. Thus a classical trochaic tetrameter contains 16 syllables (15 syllables if catalectic).

  1. ^ Howell, Anthony (30 June 2019). The Step Is the Foot: Dance and Its Relationship to Poetry. Grey Suit Editions. ISBN 978-1-903006-13-9.
  2. ^ "Trochaic - Examples and Definition of Trochaic". Literary Devices. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  3. ^ Ferber, Michael (5 September 2019). Poetry and Language. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-42912-2.