Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

iamb

/ˈaɪˌæm/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.37 in modern English

Syllables
iamb
IPA
/ˈaɪˌæm/
8
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A metrical foot in verse consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Etymology

From French iambe in the mid-1800s, from Latin ïambus, from Ancient Greek ἴαμβος (íambos). Displaced iambus which shares the same classical origin.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈaɪˌæm/
  • British English: /ˈaɪəm/

Inflected Forms

iambs (plural)

Derived Forms

diiamb iambist iambize

Phrases

limping iamb

Frequently Paired Words

trochee

Synonyms

iambus jambus

Questions

How do you pronounce iamb?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈaɪˌæm/.
What does iamb mean?
A metrical foot in verse consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
Where does iamb come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce iamb

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “iamb”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈaɪˌæm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “iamb”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “iamb” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.