distich

[ dis-tik ]

noun

, Prosody.

1. a unit of two lines of verse, usually a self-contained statement; couplet.
2. a rhyming couplet.

distich

/ ˈdɪstɪk /

noun

1. prosody a unit of two verse lines, usually a couplet

Derived Forms

• ˈdistichal, adjective

Other Words From

• disti·chal adjective
• sub·distich noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of distich¹

1545–55; < Latin distichon, noun use of neuter of Greek dístichos having two lines, equivalent to di- di- ¹ + stíchos row

Word History and Origins

Origin of distich¹

C16: from Greek distikhos having two lines, from di- ¹+ stikhos stich

Example Sentences

A war is undertaken for an epigram or a distich, as in Europe for a duchy.

From Project Gutenberg

Leo used occasionally to send him some dishes from his table; and he was expected to pay for each dish with a Latin distich.

From Project Gutenberg

That distich which Shakespeare puts in the mouth of his madman in K. Lear, act iii.

From Project Gutenberg

So ran an agonised distich I found written up on a rock somewhere.

From Project Gutenberg

The chief forms of verse used are the elegiac distich (most frequent), scazons, and hendecasyllabics.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• verse