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iamb

iamb
Noun
pl: iambs

This term is primarily used in the technical study of prosody and poetry. It describes a specific rhythmic unit that mimics the natural cadence of spoken English, where a light beat is followed by a heavy beat. Because it mirrors the natural rise and fall of speech, it is the foundational building block of iambic pentameter, the standard meter for Shakespearean plays and English sonnets.

In a pedagogical context, it is often contrasted with the trochee, which is the exact inverse (a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one). While "iamb" refers to the single foot, the term "iambic" is used as the adjective to describe the overall meter or style of a poem.

Meanings

Nouniamb

A metrical foot consisting of one short or unstressed syllable followed by one long or stressed syllable.

The line consists of five iambs, creating a steady heartbeat rhythm.

Examples

The teacher explained that an iamb is the most common foot in English poetry.

The teacher explained that an iamb is the most common foot in English poetry.

School Life

I need to identify every iamb in this stanza for my homework.

School Life

Shakespeare often wrote in iambic pentameter, which uses five iambs per line.

Shakespeare often wrote in iambic pentameter, which uses five iambs per line.

History

Does this line follow the pattern of an iamb or a trochee?

Does this line follow the pattern of an iamb or a trochee?

School Life

The rhythm feels natural because it mimics the structure of an iamb.

The rhythm feels natural because it mimics the structure of an iamb.

Wait, is the second syllable stressed here? That would make it an iamb.

Wait, is the second syllable stressed here? That would make it an iamb.

School Life

The poet carefully placed each iamb to create a rising cadence.

An iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one.

An iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one.

School Life

I can almost hear the heartbeat rhythm of the iamb in these verses.

I can almost hear the heartbeat rhythm of the iamb in these verses.

Related Words

Última actualización: May 2026Reportar un error