senarius

American  

[suh-nair-ee-uhs] / səˈnɛər i əs /

noun

• senarii
  plural

1. Classical Prosody. a Latin verse of six feet, especially an iambic trimeter.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• senarii
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of senarius

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin sēnārius, equivalent to sēn(ī) “six each” (distributive numeral of sex “six”) + -ārius adjective suffix; see -ary ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

senarius senarii

Ptilotus senarius is a delicate shrub with purple pink flowers that resemble small feathered fireworks.

From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026

He immediately recognized the species as Ptilotus senarius, a rare plant that had not been documented since 1967 and was widely considered extinct in the wild.

From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026

We here see that the senarius is designated as a well-known verse, so that it must have been in the mouths of the people long before it was applied to this piece of gossip.

From Notes and Queries, Number 31, June 1, 1850 by Various

His technical skill is very considerable; the iambic senarius becomes in his hands an extremely pleasing rhythm, though the occurrence of spondees in the second and fourth place savours of archaic usage.

From The History of Roman Literature From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius by Charles Thomas Cruttwell

If we should arrange the commoner Latin verses in a sequence according to the emotional effects which they produce, at the bottom of the series would stand the iambic senarius.

From The Common People of Ancient Rome Studies of Roman Life and Literature by Frank Frost Abbott

Iambic senarii were spoken; other metres were sung; but the scenes in septenarii stood midway between the dialogue and the canticum.

From The Student's Companion to Latin Authors by George Middleton

The metrical treatment is strict, especially in the senarii.

From The Student's Companion to Latin Authors by George Middleton

The fragment of two lines quoted above is in iambic senarii.

From Post-Augustan Poetry From Seneca to Juvenal by Harold Edgeworth Butler

Only about a fourth of Plautus’ verses are in iambic senarii, while in Terence, who followed Menander in this respect, about half of the verses are in this form.

From The Student's Companion to Latin Authors by George Middleton

Fables, in five Books, written in iambic senarii, like those of Terence and Publius Syrus.

From Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce

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