tetrameter

[ te-tram-i-ter ]

noun

1. Prosody. a verse of four feet.
2. Classical Prosody. a line consisting of four dipodies in trochaic, iambic, or anapestic meter.

adjective

1. Prosody. consisting of four metrical feet.

tetrameter

/ tɛˈtræmɪtə /

noun

1. a line of verse consisting of four metrical feet
2. a verse composed of such lines
3. (in classical prosody) a line of verse composed of four dipodies

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetrameter¹

1605–15; < Latin tetrametrus < Greek tetrámetros having four measures. See tetra-, meter ²

Example Sentences

A stanza made up of tetrameter alternating with trimeter is very common.

From Project Gutenberg

The heptameter is usually divided into a tetrameter and a trimeter; the octameter, into two tetrameters.

From Project Gutenberg

There are four feet in each verse; so the poem is written in iambic tetrameter.

From Project Gutenberg

In the same way, one decides that “The Song of Hiawatha” is written in trochaic tetrameter.

From Project Gutenberg

The metres employed by Epicharmus were iambic trimeter, and especially trochaic and anapaestic tetrameter.

From Project Gutenberg