Editing Trochee (section)

{{short description|Metrical foot}}
{{About|the poetry and linguistics concept|the French commune|Troche}}
{{See Wiktionary||troche}}
{{Metrical feet}}
[[File:Trochee (PSF).png|thumb|Trochaic tetrameter in ''[[Macbeth]]'']]
In [[poetic metre]], a '''trochee''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|r|oʊ|k|iː}} {{respell|TROH|kee}}) is a [[metrical foot]] consisting of a [[stressed syllable]] followed by an [[unstressed syllable|unstressed]] one, in [[qualitative meter]], as found in English, and in modern linguistics; or in [[quantitative meter]], as found in Latin and Ancient Greek, a [[heavy syllable]] followed by a light one (also described as a long syllable followed by a short one).<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Trochaic |volume=27 |page=293}}</ref> In this respect, a trochee is the reverse of an [[iamb (poetry)|iamb]]. Thus the Latin word {{langx|la|íbī||there|label=none}}, because of its short-long rhythm, in Latin metrical studies is considered to be an iamb, but since it is stressed on the first syllable, in modern linguistics it is considered to be a trochee.

The adjective form is ''trochaic''. The English word ''trochee'' is itself trochaic since it is composed of the stressed syllable {{IPAc-en|'|t|r|oʊ}} followed by the unstressed syllable {{IPAc-en|k|iː}}.

Another name formerly used for a trochee was a '''choree''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɔːr|iː}} {{respell|KOR|ee}}) or '''choreus'''.