Iambic

//aɪˈæmbɪk// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An iamb; a line or group of lines of iambs.
  2. 2
    a verse line consisting of iambs wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Consisting of iambs (metrical feet with an unstressed-stressed pattern) or characterized by their predominance.

    "[J]ust before the rhythm becomes iambic, there will be a point reached at which the rhythm can hardly be said to be more iambic than it is trochaic."

Adjective
  1. 1
    of or consisting of iambs wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
accentaccentuationalexandrineamphibrachamphimaceranacrusis

Example

More examples

"[J]ust before the rhythm becomes iambic, there will be a point reached at which the rhythm can hardly be said to be more iambic than it is trochaic."

Etymology

From Middle French iambique, from Late Latin ïambicus, from Ancient Greek ἰαμβικός (iambikós), from ἴαμβος (íambos) + -ικός (-ikós).

Related phrases

iambic pentameteriambic tetrameter

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.