Meaning & use
dactylic hexameters
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“dactylic hexameters” is a form of “dactylic hexameter”.
Meaning
nounpluraltechnicalliterary
A metrical line of verse consisting of six dactylic feet, commonly used in ancient Greek and Latin epic poetry.
Grammar: Plural noun; the singular is 'dactylic hexameter.' Used with plural verbs: 'Dactylic hexameters are...'
Patterns
- in dactylic hexameters
- write in dactylic hexameters
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are composed in dactylic hexameters.
The poet chose dactylic hexameters to give the epic a solemn, rolling rhythm.
Students of Latin often struggle to scan dactylic hexameters correctly.
Word forms
| singular | dactylic hexameter |
|---|
Common combinations
- compose in dactylic hexameters
- Virgil composed the Aeneid in dactylic hexameters.
- scan dactylic hexameters
- It takes practice to scan dactylic hexameters accurately.
- dactylic hexameter verse
- The poem is written in dactylic hexameter verse.
Synonyms and how they differ
- heroic hexameter
- A near-synonym, but 'heroic hexameter' sometimes refers specifically to the English adaptation of the classical meter, not the original Greek and Latin form.
- epic meter
- A broader term that can refer to other meters used in epics, not just dactylic hexameter.
Word family
Commonly confused: dactylic hexameters or iambic pentameter?
dactylic hexameters vs iambic pentameter
A different meter: iambic pentameter has five iambic feet (unstressed-stressed), while dactylic hexameter has six dactylic feet (stressed-unstressed-unstressed).
Practice
Which statement about dactylic hexameters is correct?
Choose one answer.
Dactylic hexameters consist of six dactylic feet, as the name suggests. Option B describes iambic pentameter, option C confuses meter with rhyme, and option D is false because dactylic hexameter is an ancient quantitative meter, not free verse.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dactylic hexameters”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.