Category: LiteraturePart of speech: nounDifficulty: Advanced

prosody

/ˈprɒz.ə.di/Roman

English meaning: Prosody

English Definition

(English)

Prosody is the study of the metrical structure of verse — how syllables are arranged into rhythmic patterns (feet), how lines are counted, and how rhyme and sound devices create musical effects. Classical Sanskrit prosody (chandas) is one of the world's oldest and most sophisticated metrical systems, forming one of the six Vedangas.

English Definition

The patterns of rhythm, stress, and intonation in language; in literary study, the systematic analysis of metre, rhyme, and other formal features of poetry. Prosody examines how sound patterns create meaning and aesthetic effect.

Example

Shakespeare's sonnets demonstrate masterful prosody — 14 lines of iambic pentameter with a precise rhyme scheme that mirrors the emotional argument.

In English: Shakespeare's sonnets are celebrated for their precise prosody and emotional depth.

Synonyms

  • metrics
  • versification
  • rhythmics

Antonyms / Opposites

  • free verse
  • prose

Literary Heritage

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! No hungry generations tread thee down.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! No hungry generations tread thee down.

John Keats · Poet · 19th century

Ode to a Nightingale

Ode to a Nightingale, stanza 7, lines 61–62, 1819

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Language
English
English
Script
Latin
Family
Indo-European
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