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Stressedunstressedunstressed is a descriptive label used in phonology and poetry to denote a three-syllable metrical foot in which the first syllable carries the primary stress and the following two syllables are unstressed. In metrical notation this pattern is commonly called a dactyl, often represented as (— U U), where the dash indicates a stressed syllable and the two U’s indicate unstressed ones. The term derives from the Greek daktylos, meaning finger, reflecting the three-part structure of the foot.

In classical poetry, dactyls are a central component of dactylic meter, especially in dactylic hexameter, the traditional rhythm of much Greek and Latin epic poetry. A line typically consists of six feet, each ideally a dactyl, though substitutions such as spondees (— —) or trochees (— U) are allowed to accommodate the verse and maintain a varied musical effect.

In English verse, true dactylic meter is less common, but poets employ dactylic feet within larger metrical schemes. The pattern can contribute to a rolling, energetic tempo, particularly in longer lines or oral performances, where the stress-timing of syllables affects rhythm and breath.

Notes for readers and researchers: while the label stresses the syllabic structure, actual realization can vary with dialect, word boundary, and prosodic emphasis. The concept of a stressedunstressedunstressed foot remains a useful tool for analyzing rhythm in poetry and comparative linguistics, even when applied across different languages and poetic traditions.