Alexandrine

or al·ex·an·drine

[ al-ig-zan-drin, -dreen, -zahn- ]

noun

a verse or line of poetry of twelve syllables.

adjective

of or relating to such a verse or line.

Origin of Alexandrine

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French alexandrin, after Alexandre, from the use of this meter in an Old French poem on Alexander the Great; see -ine¹

Words Nearby Alexandrine

Other definitions for Alexandrine (2 of 2)

Alexandrine²

[ al-ig-zan-drin, -dreen, -zahn- ]

adjective

of or relating to Alexandria, Egypt.

Origin of Alexandrine

First recorded in 1490–1500; Alexandr(ia) + -ine¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Alexandrine in a sentence

I'd love to hear that voice of yours revving on some Alexandrine verse.
Kathleen Turner's New Broadway High | Kevin Sessums | April 17, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
In his use of French Alexandrine, or twelve-syllable verse, Mistral takes few liberties as to cæsura.
Frdric Mistral | Charles Alfred Downer
Alexandrine has resolved to instruct her daughter by her example; she is delightful and happy.
The Petty Troubles of Married Life, Complete | Honore de Balzac
There was a revolt against the pseudo-antique, against the stiff handling of the Alexandrine metre, against the yoke of tradition.
The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1 (of 4) | Richard Muther
But at this time Trypho, the Alexandrine architect, was there.
Ten Books on Architecture | Vitruvius

The verse of twelve syllables, called an Alexandrine, is now only used to diversify heroick lines.
A Grammar of the English Tongue | Samuel Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for Alexandrine

Alexandrine

/ (ˌælɪɡˈzændraɪn, -drɪn, -ˈzɑːn-) prosody /

noun

a line of verse having six iambic feet, usually with a caesura after the third foot

adjective

of, characterized by, or written in Alexandrines

Origin of Alexandrine

C16: from French alexandrin, from Alexandre, title of 15th-century poem written in this metre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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