choliambus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare / TechnicalFormal / Literary / Technical (Poetry & Prosody)
Quick answer
What does “choliambus” mean?
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of a trochee followed by an iamb, or a line of verse using this metre.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of a trochee followed by an iamb, or a line of verse using this metre; also known as a 'limping iamb'.
In classical prosody, a choliambus (or scazon) is a line of verse, typically six iambic feet, where the final foot is a trochee or spondee, creating a 'limping' or halting rhythm, often used for satirical or invective poetry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or meaning. The term is confined to academic literary circles in both regions.
Connotations
Scholarly, precise, archaic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, with near-zero occurrence outside specialised texts.
Grammar
How to Use “choliambus” in a Sentence
The poet [verb: employed, used, wrote] a choliambus.The [adjective: final, satirical] line is a choliambus.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “choliambus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The poet chose to choliambise the final line for satirical effect.
- He was known to choliambise his invectives.
American English
- The poet chose to choliambize the final line for satirical effect.
- He was known to choliambize his invectives.
adverb
British English
- The line ended choliambically, breaking the established flow.
- He wrote choliambically throughout the satire.
American English
- The line ended choliambically, breaking the established flow.
- He wrote choliambically throughout the satire.
adjective
British English
- The choliambic rhythm gave the poem a distinctive, halting quality.
- Her translation preserved the choliambic metre.
American English
- The choliambic rhythm gave the poem a distinctive, halting quality.
- Her translation preserved the choliambic meter.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary studies, classical philology, and poetry analysis to describe a specific metrical form.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Core term in prosody and metrics for describing a metrical foot or line.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “choliambus”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “choliambus”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “choliambus”
- Mispronouncing the 'ch' as /tʃ/ (like 'chair') instead of /k/.
- Using it to refer to any irregular metre, rather than the specific trochee-iamb combination.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare technical term used almost exclusively in academic discussions of classical poetry and prosody.
An iamb is a two-syllable foot with an unstressed-stressed pattern (da-DUM). A choliambus is a specific line or foot where a regular iambic pattern is disrupted, typically ending with a trochee (stressed-unstressed), creating a 'limp'.
The ancient Greek poet Hipponax of Ephesus is famously associated with the choliambic metre (scazon), which he used for his bitter satires.
In British English, it is /ˌkəʊlɪˈambəs/ (koh-li-AM-bus). In American English, it is /ˌkoʊliˈæmbəs/ (koh-lee-AM-bus). The 'ch' is always a hard /k/ sound.
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of a trochee followed by an iamb, or a line of verse using this metre.
Choliambus is usually formal / literary / technical (poetry & prosody) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CHOlk leg I AM BUSy limping' – a chalk outline of a leg (trochee) that I am (iamb) busy limping with, which is what a 'limping iamb' does.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LIMPING WALK (for the halting, irregular rhythm of the metre).
Practice
Quiz
What is a choliambus?