dodecasyllable: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2technical, literary
Quick answer
What does “dodecasyllable” mean?
A line of verse consisting of twelve syllables.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A line of verse consisting of twelve syllables.
A metric unit in poetry or a term used in prosody to describe a specific type of poetic line.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in spelling and usage. The concept is more commonly referenced in British English literary scholarship due to historical metrical traditions (e.g., French Alexandrine verse).
Connotations
Highly technical literary term.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties; slightly more likely to appear in British academic texts on historical versification.
Grammar
How to Use “dodecasyllable” in a Sentence
The poem is written in dodecasyllables.He analyzed the dodecasyllable.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dodecasyllable” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The dodecasyllable structure of the Alexandrine is rigid.
American English
- She prefers dodecasyllable poetic forms.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in literary criticism and prosody studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core term in metrics and versification.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dodecasyllable”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dodecasyllable”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dodecasyllable”
- Incorrect plural: 'dodecasyllables' is correct. Mispronunciation: stress is often misplaced on 'do-' instead of '-dec-'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, technical term used almost exclusively in literary studies and prosody.
No, it specifically refers to a line of verse in poetry, not prose.
In French poetry, an Alexandrine is a specific type of dodecasyllable with a caesura (pause) after the sixth syllable. In English, 'Alexandrine' is often used synonymously with dodecasyllable.
In British English: /ˌdəʊdɛkəˈsɪləbl/. In American English: /ˌdoʊdɛkəˈsɪləbl/. The primary stress is on the fourth syllable (-sill-).
A line of verse consisting of twelve syllables.
Dodecasyllable is usually technical, literary in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'dodeca-' (like a dodecagon with 12 sides) + 'syllable' (sound units). A dodecasyllable has 12 sound units.
Conceptual Metaphor
POETIC FORM IS ARCHITECTURE (a building block of verse).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'dodecasyllable' primarily used?