disyllable

American  

[dahy-sil-uh-buhl, dahy-sil-, dih-] / ˈdaɪˌsɪl ə bəl, daɪˈsɪl-, dɪ- /

noun

1. a word of two syllables.

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disyllable British  

/ ˈdaɪsɪləbəl, ˌdɪ-, dɪˈsɪl-, ˌdaɪsɪˈlæbɪk /

noun

1. a variant of dissyllable

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Other Word Forms

• disyllabic adjective

Etymology

Origin of disyllable

1580–90; di- ¹ + syllable; compare Greek disýllabos of two syllables; variant dissyllable has ss < Middle French dissilabe

Example Sentences

In his later poetry Ovid shows a steadily increasing willingness to allow his pentameters to end with words other than disyllables.

From Project Gutenberg

The secret is, to draw out et into a disyllable, et-te, as the Italians do, who pronounce Latin verse, if possible, worse than we, adding a syllable to such as end with a consonant.

From Project Gutenberg

It was this: Words formed from Greek disyllables in ος, whether the penultimate vowel be long or short, are monosyllables made long by e final.

From Project Gutenberg

Here the long i is retained, and in disyllables the penultima is lengthened, as in 'anile', 'senile', 'virile'.

From Project Gutenberg

The narrower range of cadence allowed by the rule which makes every couplet regularly end in a disyllable, involves a monotony which only Ovid's immense dexterity enabled him to overcome.

From Project Gutenberg