Definition

1. Noun:
   • A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two short or unstressed syllables: A "dibrach" is a specific unit of poetic meter, also known as a "pyrrhic." It is a rare foot in English verse, characterized by two consecutive unstressed syllables (˘ ˘).

Usage

• The "dibrach" is a technical term used primarily in the analysis of poetic meter (prosody).
• It describes a rhythmic pattern within a line of poetry.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The line contains a subtle dibrach, contributing to its light, rapid rhythm.
  • Scanning the poem, the scholar identified a dibrach in the third foot.

Advanced Usage

• In Metrical Analysis: The term is used by poets, scholars, and students when discussing the scansion (metrical analysis) of poetry.
  • The use of a dibrach here creates a momentary pause or a quick, unaccented movement.

Variants and Related Words

• Pyrrhic (n): A direct synonym for "dibrach," referring to the same metrical foot.
  • In classical prosody, a pyrrhic is a foot of two short syllables.

Synonyms

• Pyrrhic: The most common synonym in poetic terminology.

Notes

• The "dibrach" or "pyrrhic" is uncommon as a sustained meter in English poetry but can appear as a variation within lines composed primarily of other feet, such as iambs or trochees.
• It is more frequently discussed in the context of classical Greek and Latin poetry.

Noun

1. a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed syllables