trochee

noun

tro·​chee ˈtrō-(ˌ)kē 

: a metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by one short syllable or of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (as in apple)

Examples of trochee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ode to Julia Morgan 1872-1957, the first woman licensed to practice architecture in California The trochees of our names have drawn rectangles below the blue vaults of the swimming pool. —David Roderick, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Feb. 2018

Word History

Etymology

probably from Middle French trochée, from Latin trochaeus, from Greek trochaios, from trochaios running, from trochē run, course, from trechein to run; akin to Greek trochos wheel, Old Irish droch

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

trochee

noun

tro·​chee ˈtrō-kē 

: a metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable (as in hungry)

trochaic

trō-ˈkā-ik

adjective