Meaning & use

tetrameter

noun·Advanced

A line of poetry made up of four metrical feet, a common rhythm in English verse.

See it in a sentence

Many nursery rhymes are written in tetrameter, giving them a steady, singsong beat.

The professor scanned the poem's tetrameter, marking four stressed syllables in each line.

A note on using this word

Compare with pentameter, which has five feet per line and is the standard meter of Shakespearean verse.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “tetrameter”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.