monometer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Technical/Literary)Technical, Literary, Academic
Quick answer
What does “monometer” mean?
A line of poetry consisting of one metrical foot.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A line of poetry consisting of one metrical foot.
In prosody, a verse of a single measure; also used in specific contexts to describe a single measurement unit in other fields, such as a single measure of time in music or a single unit of measurement in science.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or semantic differences. Usage is equally technical in both variants.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both variants. Carries the same academic/formal connotation.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general use, but expected with similar rarity in academic literary contexts in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “monometer” in a Sentence
[Poem] contains/is written in monometer.[Poet] employs/uses monometer for [effect].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “monometer” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The monometer verse form is challenging to sustain.
- Her monometer lines create a staccato effect.
American English
- He experimented with a monometer structure.
- The poem's monometer sections are abrupt.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, poetry analysis, and prosody classes. Example: 'The study analysed the use of iambic monometer in Emily Dickinson's poetry.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core technical term within the field of prosody; may have niche applications in other fields (e.g., music theory, metrology) to denote a single unit.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “monometer”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “monometer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “monometer”
- Confusing 'monometer' (one foot per line) with 'monometer' as a hypothetical measuring instrument (the correct term is 'manometer').
- Misspelling as 'monometre' (British spelling is still 'monometer' for this technical term).
- Using it to describe a single line of any poetry, rather than a line with a single metrical foot.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, technical term used almost exclusively in the study of poetry and literary analysis.
No, that is a common confusion. A device for measuring pressure is a 'manometer'. 'Monometer' in English refers to a poetic line with one foot.
A famous example is the first line of Robert Herrick's poem 'Upon His Departure Hence': 'Thus I / Pass by...' where 'Thus I' can be analysed as a single iambic foot.
Yes, the type is defined by the foot used, e.g., iambic monometer (˘ ′), trochaic monometer (′ ˘), anapestic monometer (˘ ˘ ′), etc.
A line of poetry consisting of one metrical foot.
Monometer is usually technical, literary, academic in register.
Monometer: in British English it is pronounced /mɒˈnɒm.ɪ.tə/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɑˈnɑː.mə.t̬ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MONO (one) + METER (measure). A monometer is a poetic line with ONE measure (foot).
Conceptual Metaphor
MEASUREMENT OF SPEECH / ATOMIC UNIT OF VERSE (suggests a basic, indivisible building block of poetic rhythm).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'monometer' primarily used?