a metrical foot consisting of a long syllable between two short syllables (◡ – ◡)
Compare cretic
Derived forms
amphibrachic (ˌamphiˈbrachic)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Latin, from Greek amphibrakhus, literally: both ends being short, from amphi- + brakhus short
amphibrach in American English
(ˈæmfəˌbræk)
noun
a metrical foot consisting, in Greek and Latin verse, of one long syllable between two short ones, or, in English verse, of one accented syllable between two unaccented ones (Ex.: |ĕxplósiŏn|)
Word origin
L amphibrachys < Gr, lit., short before and after < amphi-, amphi- + brachys, short: see merry