Poetic Terms Dictionary
Meter & Rhythm

Amphibrach

From Greek amphibrachys: short on both sides. Used in classical Latin and Greek quantitative verse; rare but distinctive in English.

Definition

A metrical foot of three syllables: unstressed-stressed-unstressed (u — u), giving a rocking, wave-like rhythm.

Example

'a-LIV-ing', 'be-LONG-ing', 're-MEM-ber' — each an amphibrachic unit.

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