iambic

[ ahy-am-bik ]

/ aɪˈæm bɪk /

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adjective

Prosody.

pertaining to the iamb.
consisting of or employing an iamb or iambs.

Greek Literature. noting or pertaining to satirical poetry written in iambs.

noun

Prosody.

an iamb.
Usually iambics. a verse or poem consisting of iambs.

Greek Literature. a satirical poem in this meter.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of iambic

1565–75; <Latin iambicus<Greek iambikós.See iambus, -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM iambic

i·am·bi·cal·ly, adverbun·i·am·bic, adjective

Words nearby iambic

Iago, -ial, Ialysus, IAMAW, iamb, iambic, iambic pentameter, iambus, Ian, -iana, IAP

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use iambic in a sentence

The AI assimilated his style and perspective by ingesting his plays—educating itself to give an opinion on AI creativity in iambic pentameter.
AI Shakespeare and AI Oscar Wilde Debate Machine Creativity at Oxford|Alex Connock|June 19, 2022|Singularity Hub
Max Fish and Snow are wed by more than their iambic assonance.
Max Fish, Lost At Sea|Joshua David Stein|July 17, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The lovers speak entirely in iambic pentameter, which works much better than it should.
Jude Law in Drag|Caryn James|September 23, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The rhythm of the lines is marked, the effect upon the ear being quite like that of English iambic pentameters hypercatalectic.
Frdric Mistral|Charles Alfred Downer

There are four feet in each verse; so the poem is written in iambic tetrameter.
English: Composition and Literature|W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
In this stanza the prevailing foot is iambic, but the first foot is trochaic.
English: Composition and Literature|W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
It is contemplative and poised, and is frequently blended with other feet, especially with iambic, to express deliberation.
Browning and the Dramatic Monologue|S. S. Curry
It will be noted that the dactyl is very closely related in expression to the trochee, and the anapest to the iambic.
Browning and the Dramatic Monologue|S. S. Curry

British Dictionary definitions for iambic

iambic

/ (aɪˈæmbɪk) prosody /

adjective

of, relating to, consisting of, or using an iamb or iambs

(in Greek literature) denoting a type of satirical verse written in iambs

noun

a metrical foot, line, or stanza of verse consisting of iambs

a type of ancient Greek satirical verse written in iambs

Derived forms of iambic

iambically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

iambic

Origin of iambic

OTHER WORDS FROM iambic

Words nearby iambic

Words related to iambic

How to use iambic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for iambic

Derived forms of iambic