tetrastich

American  

[te-truh-stik, te-tras-tik] / ˈtɛ trə stɪk, tɛˈtræs tɪk /

noun

Prosody.

1. a strophe, stanza, or poem consisting of four lines.

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tetrastich British  

/ ˈtɛtrəˌstɪk, tɛˈtræstɪkəl, ˌtɛtrəˈstɪkɪk /

noun

1. a poem, stanza, or strophe that consists of four lines

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Other Word Forms

• tetrastichal adjective
• tetrastichic adjective

Etymology

Origin of tetrastich

1570–80; < Latin tetrastichon < Greek tetrástichon, noun use of neuter of tetrástichos. See tetrastichous

Example Sentences

At Rome, Selvaggi made a Latin distich in honour of Milton, and Salsilli a Latin tetrastich, celebrating him for his Greek, Latin, and Italian poetry; and he in return presented to Salsilli in his sickness those fine Scazons or Iambic verses having a spondee in the last foot, which are inserted among his juvenile poems.

From Project Gutenberg

Tetrastich, tet′ra-stik, n. a stanza, &c., of four lines, a quartet.—adjs.

From Project Gutenberg

Goodyer’s epitaph is quoted by Camden in the Remaines concerning Britain: “To the honour of Sir Henry Goodyer of Powlesworth, a Knight memorable for his vertues, an affectionate Friend of his framed this Tetrastich: ‘An ill year of a Goodyer us bereft, Who gone to God, much lack of him here left: Full of good gifts, of body and of mind, Wise, comely, learned, eloquent and kind.’”

From Project Gutenberg

And I now renew this great Sheet, because in returning to old Hafiz two or three days ago, I happened on a line which you will confer with a Tetrastich of Omar’s.

From Project Gutenberg

What I have said in the foregoing tetrastich is thus translated out of the Lanternish tongue into our vulgar dialect: All miseries attended me, whilst I A lover was, and had no good thereby.

From Project Gutenberg