Definition

A line of poetry that has eight units of rhythm or beats.

Example

The poet wrote an octameter to give the poem a unique rhythm.

Conversation

Have you ever tried writing poetry in octameter?

No, I usually stick to shorter lines; they feel easier to manage.

I find octameter gives a nice rhythm to the verses.

That makes sense! I should give it a shot sometime.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Octameter → It is formed from "octa-" (from Greek "okto", meaning eight) and "meter" (from Greek "metron", meaning measure). The word refers to a line of verse consisting of eight metrical feet, hence the measurement of eight.

Memory Tip

Think of 'eight' ('octa-') as the number of metrical feet in a line, and 'meter' as a measure — that's why octameter means a measure of eight.

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