hemistich

American  

[hem-i-stik] / ˈhɛm ɪˌstɪk /

noun

Prosody.

1. the exact or approximate half of a stich, or poetic verse or line, especially as divided by a caesura or the like.

2. an incomplete line, or a line of less than the usual length.

---

hemistich British  

/ ˈhɛmɪˌstɪk /

noun

1. prosody a half line of verse

---

Other Word Forms

• hemistichal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hemistich

1565–75; < Late Latin hēmistichium < Greek hēmistíchion a half-verse. See hemi-, stich ¹

Example Sentences

We may deeply admire and wonder, and, in another line or hemistich, grow indifferent or slightly averse. 

From Hearts of Controversy by Meynell, Alice Christiana Thompson

Hernani" in 1830, the simple question and answer "Est il minuit?—Minuit bientot" raised a tempest of hisses and applause, and that the opposing factions of classics and romantics "fought three days over this hemistich.

From A History of English Romanticism in the Nineteenth Century by Beers, Henry A. (Henry Augustin)

The airs of songs are commonly very short and simple, adapted to a single verse, or even to a single hemistich; but in the instrumental music there is more variety.

From The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I. Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Anonymous

The two parts of the first hemistich of the verse correspond with each other; just as do the three parts of the second hemistich.

From Christology of the Old Testament: And a Commentary on the Messianic Predictions, Vol. 1 by Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm

The concluding hemistich, whereby the hokku becomes the tanka, is existent in the writer's mind, but never uttered.

From Japanese Prints by Lathrop, Dorothy Pulis