A set pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, particularly as used in verse. In English, most words, and most of the resulting verse, are in one of these five feet:

  • Iambic foot or iamb: An unstressed (short) syllable followed by a stressed (long). {Today, about, repeat}
  • Trochaic foot or trochee: A stressed syllable followed by a unstressed syllable. {Meter, pleasant, daily}
  • Anapestic foot or anapest: Two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed. {Intercede, for the nonce}
  • Dactylic foot, or dactyl:One stressed syllable, followed by two unstressed syllables. {Silvery, national, penitent}
  • Spondiac foot or spondee: Two stressed syllables {Thirteen. deadbeat}
  • Other feet include, but are not limited to, Amphibrach, Amphimacer, Antibacchius, Bacchic, and Pyrrhic.


    Trochee / trips from / long to / short;
    From long to long in solemn sort
    Slow Spon/dee stalks; / strong foot! / yet ill / able
    Ever to / come up with / Dactyl tri/syllable.
    Iam/bic march / from short / to long;
    With a leap / and a bound / the swift An/apaests throng.

    --Samuel Taylor Coleridge