hemistich

noun

hemi·​stich ˈhe-mi-ˌstik How to pronounce hemistich (audio)
: half a poetic line of verse usually divided by a caesura

Word History

Etymology

Latin hemistichium, from Greek hēmistichion, from hēmi- + stichos line, verse; akin to Greek steichein to go — more at stair

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hemistich was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near hemistich

Cite this Entry

“Hemistich.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hemistich. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!