In poetry, metre (Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific …

Meter is the pattern of beats in a line of poetry. It is a combination of how many beats there are and the arrangement of stresses.

Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry. These stress patterns are defined in groupings, called feet, of two or three syllables. A …

Have you ever noticed a rhythm in poetry? It’s not just about rhyming words; it’s about the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. This pattern is called meter, and it’s a fundamental element of …

The predominant meter in English poetry is accentual-syllabic. See also accentual meter, syllabic meter, and quantitative meter. Falling meter refers to trochees and dactyls (i.e., a stressed syllable …

Oct 13, 2025 · Meter refers to both the rhythm and length of a line of poetry.

Learn to identify and interpret 4 common metrical patterns in poetry in this free, open-source lesson for high school and college students and teachers.