eightsyllable

An eightsyllable is a line of verse containing eight syllables. In English-language poetics the more common term for this line is octosyllabic, though the form may be described simply as eight syllables in studies that focus on syllable counting. The line can be realized with various stress patterns, but it is often associated with iambic tetrameter, in which four iambs (unstressed–stressed pairs) produce eight syllables; other patterns such as trochaic tetrameter or mixed meters are also possible.

Eightsyllable lines have a long, cross-cultural presence. In medieval and early modern English poetry they appear in ballad and narrative verse, while in French poetry the octosyllable is a standard line in chansons de geste and related forms. Comparable eight-syllable lines appear in Spanish and Portuguese verse under the label octosílabo, and similar practices occur in other European traditions, reflecting a broad historical use of eight-syllable lines in verse construction.

In contemporary English poetry, eight-syllable lines are less often treated as a rigid metrical category and more as a flexible unit within varied meters or in verse that aims for a steady, singable cadence. Example lines that illustrate the basic eight-syllable pattern include: “The morning light begins to bloom” and “The quiet hills lie far away.” Both lines count to eight syllables, showcasing a straightforward way to realize the form.

See also octosyllable, iambic tetrameter, ballad stanza.