pentameter
UK[penˈtæmɪtə]US[penˈtæmɪtər]
n
A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet.
Morpheme Breakdown
penta
meter
penta
five
meter
measure
Etymology
The word 'pentameter' is a direct compound of two Greek elements, 'penta-' (five) and '-meter' (measure). In classical prosody, it was used to describe a specific poetic line measured in five units. The term entered English via Latin 'pentameter', where it was adopted to describe a verse line of five metrical feet. This logical construction, literally meaning "five measures," precisely defines its technical role in the analysis of poetic rhythm.
Analysis
Structure: penta (five) + meter (measure)
penta (from Greek πέντε, meaning "five") + meter (from Greek μέτρον, meaning "measure").
Examples
The poem is written in iambic pentameter.
He struggled to maintain a consistent pentameter throughout the sonnet.
The shift from tetrameter to pentameter gave the verse a more stately pace.