metrum

Metrum is a term used across poetry, linguistics, and music to denote the systematic organization of rhythm or metrical structure. The word derives from Latin metrum, itself from Greek metron meaning measure, and has given rise to the English term meter as well as equivalents in many languages.

In poetry and prosody, metrum refers to the metrical pattern of a verse—the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables, or the sequence of feet such as iambs, trochees, or dactyls. Classical traditions describe meters by the type and number of feet per line and by cadence patterns; in modern usage, metrical analysis can be syllabic, accentual-syllabic, or accentual.

In music, the concept of metrum is closely related to meter in timekeeping, describing how beats are grouped into recurring units such as duple or triple meter and expressed in time signatures. Different musical cultures distinguish metrical regularity (meter) from irregular or changing meters; the term is sometimes found in non-English linguistic traditions as a direct cognate of meter.

As a proper noun, Metrum is used as a brand name and in the titles of artistic works or organizations. Because it is a generic term for measure, it has been adopted by various publishers, manufacturers, and creative projects, but there is no single, universally recognized entity by that name.

Related topics include meter, metre, metronome, and prosody.