spondee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical (Literary Analysis, Linguistics)
Quick answer
What does “spondee” mean?
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two long or stressed syllables.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two long or stressed syllables.
In prosody, a unit of poetic rhythm comprising two strongly accented syllables. The term can also refer to any instance of two consecutive stressed syllables in language, even outside formal poetry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Neutral, technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both British and American English.
Grammar
How to Use “spondee” in a Sentence
The poet [VERB] a spondee in the [NOUN].The line is composed of [NUMBER] spondees.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spondee” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The line's spondaic opening gives it a ponderous quality.
- He analysed the spondaic pattern in the hymn.
American English
- The spondaic rhythm created a slow, heavy effect.
- Her essay focused on spondaic substitutions in the epic.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literature departments, classical studies, and linguistics when analysing poetic metre.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would likely require explanation.
Technical
Core term in the technical vocabulary of prosody and phonology when discussing stress patterns.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “spondee”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “spondee”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spondee”
- Mispronouncing it as /spɒnˈdeɪ/ (spon-DAY).
- Using it to describe any two-syllable word (it must be two stressed syllables).
- Confusing it with a 'trochee' (stressed-unstressed).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Only words or word combinations where both syllables receive strong, equal stress in the given poetic context qualify, e.g., 'true-blue', 'heartache'.
Rarely. Linguists might use it to describe stress patterns in speech, but its primary and almost exclusive domain is the analysis of poetic metre.
The adjective form is 'spondaic', as in 'a spondaic rhythm' or 'spondaic hexameter'.
English is a stress-timed language with a natural alternation between stressed and unstressed syllables. Consecutive heavy stresses are less common and create a very marked, emphatic rhythm, so they are used for specific effects rather than as a regular metre.
A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two long or stressed syllables.
Spondee is usually formal, technical (literary analysis, linguistics) in register.
Spondee: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspɒn.diː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspɑːn.diː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SPON-dee' sounding like 'POND-er' – both have two heavy beats. Imagine two strong SPONges being squeezed (stress-stress).
Conceptual Metaphor
A spondee is a HEAVY STEP or a SOLID BLOCK in the flow of a poem's rhythm.
Practice
Quiz
What is a spondee?