Meter & Rhythm
Foot
From Greek pous: foot. Greek and Latin verse was based on quantity (long/short); English metre substitutes stress. Each named foot derives from classical prosody.
Definition
The basic rhythmic unit of verse, consisting of a fixed pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Example
Iamb (u —): 'be-CAUSE'; Trochee (— u): 'GAR-den'; Dactyl (— u u): 'HEA-ven-ly'; Anapest (u u —): 'in the NIGHT.'