Meanings
nounhexameter (countable and uncountable, plural hexameters)
plural hexameters · alternative hexametre
- countableA line in a poem having six metrical feet.
The date of composition is pretty certainly about 1590, a date suggested by the burlesque hexameters of Huanebango.
1908, Walter Wilson Greg, “[Preface]”, in G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wives Tale, 1595, [Oxford, Oxfordshire]: […] [F]or the Malone Society by Horace Hart […], at the Oxford University Press, published 1965, →OCLC, page vi
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Also see
Origin
- Ancient Greekἑξάμετρος
- Englishhexameter
From Ancient Greek ἑξάμετρος (hexámetros). Equivalent to hexa- + meter. Piecewise doublet of sexameter.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan hexàmetre, hexàmetre
- hexàmetreline in a poem
- hexàmetrepoetic metre
Dutch hexameter, zesvoetig vers
- hexameterline in a poem
- zesvoetig versline in a poem
Esperanto heksametro
- heksametroline in a poem
French hexasyllabe, hexamètre
- hexasyllabeline in a poem
- hexamètrepoetic metre
Hungarian hexameter, hexameter
- hexameterline in a poem
- hexameterpoetic metre
Italian esametro, esametro
- esametroline in a poem
- esametropoetic metre
Latin hexameter, hexameter
- hexameterline in a poem
- hexameterpoetic metre
Polish heksametr, heksametr
- heksametrline in a poem
- heksametrpoetic metre
Romanian hexametru, hexametru
- hexametruline in a poem
- hexametrupoetic metre
Russian гекза́метр, гекза́метр
- гекза́метр (gekzámetr)line in a poem
- гекза́метр (gekzámetr)poetic metre
Slovak hexameter, hexameter
- hexameterline in a poem
- hexameterpoetic metre
Spanish hexámetro, hexámetro
- hexámetroline in a poem
- hexámetropoetic metre
Swedish hexameter, hexameter
- hexameterline in a poem
- hexameterpoetic metre
Cite this entry
APA
hexameter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hexameter
MLA
“hexameter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hexameter. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hexameter,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hexameter.
Source: hexameter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.