amphibrach means A metrical foot in ancient Greek or Latin consisting of two short syllables surrounding one long one (e.g. amāta). It carries an Arena rating of 1356, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, amphibrach ranks #2,104 of 14,297 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,309 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,319 of 14,444 for Most Exacting Words, #2,374 of 14,451 for Most Whimsical Words.
amphibrach is pronounced /ˈam.fɪ.bɹak/.
Why “amphibrach” is a great word
A metrical foot in prosody consisting of three syllables, with a stressed or long syllable between two unstressed or short ones. From Latin amphibrachys, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίβραχυς (amphíbrakhus, "short at both ends"), from ἀμφί (amphí, "on both sides") + βραχύς (brakhús, "short"). Unlike an anapest, which rises from two light syllables to a heavy one, or a dactyl, which falls from a heavy down to two lights, the amphibrach is a unit of equipoise—a stress cradled. It is the lilt of a limerick, the heartbeat in "romantic," the gentle sway of a porch swing at dusk. This balanced measure, forever contained yet forever moving, is the quiet heart of rhythm, humming with inward motion.
Etymology
From Latin amphibrachys, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίβραχυς (amphíbrakhus, “short at both ends”), from ἀμφί (amphí) + βραχύς (brakhús, “short”).
noun
- A metrical foot in ancient Greek or Latin consisting of two short syllables surrounding one long one (e.g. amāta).
- A metrical foot in modern prosody, consisting of three syllables, the middle one of which is stressed (e.g. Jamaica).“Then Banoffsky launched into Glinka's great amphibrachs [...]: Subside, agitation of passion!”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- amphimacer 89% match — A metrical foot consisting of an unaccented or light syllable between two accented or heavy syllables; a cretic. vs amphibrach →
- dactyl 88% match — A metrical foot of three syllables (— ⏑ ⏑), one long followed by two short, or one accented followed by two unaccented. vs amphibrach →
- spondee 87% match — A word or metrical foot of two syllables, either both long or both stressed. vs amphibrach →
- trochee 86% match — A metrical foot in verse consisting of a stressed or heavy syllable followed by an unstressed or light syllable. vs amphibrach →
- choriambus 85% match — A metrical foot consisting of four syllables, of which the first and last are long, and the others short; a choreus, or trochee, united with an iambus. vs amphibrach →
- iambic 85% match — Consisting of iambs (metrical feet with an unstressed–stressed pattern) or characterized by their predominance. vs amphibrach →
- cretic 85% match — Using or relating to a metrical pattern of poetry where each foot is composed of three syllables, the first and third of which are stressed and the second is unstressed. This pattern is very rare in English poetry. vs amphibrach →
- antepenult 84% match — The third-to-last syllable of a word. vs amphibrach →