hendecasyllable: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical (Poetry, Literary Criticism), Academic
Quick answer
What does “hendecasyllable” mean?
A line of verse consisting of eleven syllables.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A line of verse consisting of eleven syllables.
In prosody, a metrical foot or line containing exactly eleven syllables. Often used to describe specific classical poetic forms, such as those employed by Catullus and Martial.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Pronunciation differs slightly.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties: a technical, learned term.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, confined to specialist discourse on poetry and classical literature.
Grammar
How to Use “hendecasyllable” in a Sentence
The [poet] wrote in hendecasyllables.The [line/verse] is a hendecasyllable.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hendecasyllable” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The poem's hendecasyllabic rhythm was complex.
- She analysed the hendecasyllable verse forms.
American English
- The hendecasyllabic meter is a hallmark of his work.
- They studied hendecasyllable patterns.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Used in literary studies, especially classical philology and prosody.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary context; precise descriptor in poetic analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hendecasyllable”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hendecasyllable”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hendecasyllable”
- Misspelling: 'hendecasyllabic' as the noun (that's the adjective).
- Mispronunciation: stressing 'syllable' instead of 'sill' (/ˌhɛndekəˈsɪləbl/).
- Confusing with 'decasyllable' (ten syllables).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a general prosodic term for any line of eleven syllables, but it is most famously associated with specific Latin (and later Italian) poetic forms.
The adjective form is 'hendecasyllabic', as in 'hendecasyllabic verse'.
While not common, poets like Tennyson experimented with the form. A constructed example mimicking the metre is: 'I stood alone upon the barren shore.'
In British English: /ˌhɛndekəˈsɪləbl/. In American English: /ˌhɛndekəˈsɪləbəl/. The primary stress is on 'dec', secondary stress on 'hen', and a tertiary stress on 'sill'.
A line of verse consisting of eleven syllables.
Hendecasyllable is usually technical (poetry, literary criticism), academic in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HEN-deca-syllable. 'HEN' could remind you of 'eleven' in a mnemonic code (H=8, E=5, N=14? Not quite). Better: 'HENDECA' is from Greek for 'eleven', like a decathlon plus one more event.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER (line) with a PRECISE QUANTITY (eleven) of UNITS (syllables).
Practice
Quiz
What is a hendecasyllable?