amphimacer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareTechnical/Literary
Quick answer
What does “amphimacer” mean?
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of three syllables: a long/stressed syllable, a short/unstressed syllable, and a long/stressed syllable.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of three syllables: a long/stressed syllable, a short/unstressed syllable, and a long/stressed syllable.
A specific rhythmic pattern in poetic metre, also known as a cretic foot. It is the reverse of an amphibrach.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage, spelling, or meaning. The term belongs to a shared technical lexicon.
Connotations
Technical, academic, classical.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, used only in specialised literary or linguistic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “amphimacer” in a Sentence
The line uses an amphimacer.An amphimacer consists of...One can scan this as an amphimacer.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amphimacer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The amphimacer pattern is less common in English verse.
American English
- An amphimacer line has a distinctive, emphatic rhythm.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used exclusively in literary criticism, prosody, and linguistics to describe metre.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary domain of usage; a precise term in metrics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “amphimacer”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “amphimacer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amphimacer”
- Mispronouncing the final 'cer' as /sɜːr/ instead of /sə(r)/.
- Confusing it with the more common 'amphibrach' (˘ - ˘).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare technical term used only in the study of poetry and prosody.
An amphimacer (cretic) has a stress pattern of STRONG-weak-STRONG, while an amphibrach has a pattern of weak-STRONG-weak.
Clear, isolated examples are rare in English. However, phrases like 'stárve for lóve' or 'áll is lóst' can be scanned as amphimacers.
The term 'cretic' originates from its use in ancient Greek poetry, particularly associated with the Cretan poet Thaletas. 'Amphimacer' is the later Latin-derived name.
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of three syllables: a long/stressed syllable, a short/unstressed syllable, and a long/stressed syllable.
Amphimacer is usually technical/literary in register.
Amphimacer: in British English it is pronounced /æmˈfɪməsə/, and in American English it is pronounced /æmˈfɪməsər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
AMPHI (both sides) + MACER (long/stressed) → a foot with stress on BOTH ends and a soft middle, like a sandwich.
Conceptual Metaphor
A sandwich foot: strong-soft-strong.
Practice
Quiz
What is the pattern of an amphimacer?