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What is Meter?

By , About.com Guide

Question: What is Meter?
Answer: In Greek and Latin poetry, meter (metre) is the number and arrangement of long and short syllables in a verse or line. It can also refer to just the number of feet in a line of poetry. Meter is often named with two terms, the one referring to the number of feet with the word "-meter" attached, and the other to the dominant long and short syllable pattern in each foot. Thus, epic poetry is described as dactylic hexameter.

Greek and Latin Poetry Meter FAQ Index:

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