Meter
noun /ˈmiːtər/ — The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that gives poetry its pulse.
Definition
The basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines of poetry, determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables — the underlying beat that poetry walks to.
Beyond the definition
Meter is the heartbeat of formal poetry — you feel it before you analyze it. When meter works, poetry arrives with a forward momentum, each line pulling you into the next. When it breaks deliberately, the irregularity lands like a stumble.
Origin & history
From Greek metron — measure. Literally the measurement of syllables — the counting and arrangement of beats in poetic lines.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The iambic pentameter gave Shakespeare's plays a spoken quality — ten syllables that mimicked natural English speech.
She broke from the meter in the final line, and the irregularity made the poem feel like a held breath released.
Some poets wear meter like a constraint; others wear it like a current that carries them.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Meter” when the meaning fits your context: The basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines of poetry, determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables — the underlying beat that poetry walks to.
Synonyms
rhythm, cadence, beat, measure, prosody
Antonyms
free verse, prose rhythm
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Artisan Working on Clock
An artisan carefully adjusts a gear in an open clock with visible pulleys, ropes, and interlocking brass parts on their workshop bench.
Meter is the underlying rhythmic structure or beat. The clock's gears, working in sequence to create a consistent, reliable motion, act as a visual analogy for meter, which provides the underlying, steady beat that poetry walks to, ensuring a structured, rhythmic flow that repeats with predictable, musical accuracy.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Meter" mean?
Meter is noun meaning: The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that gives poetry its pulse.. The basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines of poetry, determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables — the underlying beat that poetry walks to.
Where does the word "Meter" come from?
From Greek metron — measure. Literally the measurement of syllables — the counting and arrangement of beats in poetic lines.