meter

Also known as poetic metre, metrics, metre

the number and type of lines and syllables that a verse must have

AI overview

A meter is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that repeats throughout a poem, along with how many lines the verse should contain. It matters because meter gives poetry its rhythm and musicality, making poems easier to read aloud and remember.

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Commons category: Poetic rhythm
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Article

In poetry, metre (Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study and the actual use of metres and forms of versification are both known as prosody. (Within linguistics, "prosody" is used in a more general sense that includes not only poetic metre but also the rhythmic aspects of prose, whether formal or informal, that vary from language to language, and sometimes between poetic traditions.)

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