Poetic Terms Dictionary
Meter & Rhythm

Dactyl

From Greek daktylos: finger (one long bone, two short). The foot of the Greek and Latin hexameter epic; used by Longfellow in Evangeline.

Definition

A metrical foot of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (— u u), giving a falling, galloping rhythm.

Example

'MErrily, MErrily, MErrily, MErrily, life is but a DREAM.' — dactylic pattern.

Related Terms