What does a foot mean in poetry?

A foot in poetry refers to a unit of rhythm consisting of a specific arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. It forms the building block of a poetic line and helps create the meter or rhythm of a poem. Each foot is composed of a combination of iambs, trochees, dactyls, anapaests, or spondees.

1. Iamb: An iamb is the most common foot in English poetry and consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (˘ /).

Example: be|lieve

2. Trochee: A trochee is the opposite of an iamb and consists of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (/ ˘).

Example: hap|py

3. Dactyl: A dactyl consists of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (/ ˘ ˘).

Example: bea|uti|ful

4. Anapaest: An anapaest is the opposite of a dactyl and consists of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (˘ ˘ /).

Example: in|ter|cede

5. Spondee: A spondee consists of two stressed syllables (/ /).

Example: slow|ly

These are the basic types of feet used in poetry, but there are variations and combinations of these feet that create different rhythmic patterns. By combining different feet, poets can achieve specific effects and create a distinctive rhythm that contributes to the overall musicality and expressiveness of the poem.