iamb

noun

ˈī-ˌam(b) How to pronounce iamb (audio)
variants or iambus
ī-ˈam-bəs How to pronounce iamb (audio)
plural iambs ˈī-ˌamz How to pronounce iamb (audio) or iambuses
: a metrical foot consisting of one short syllable followed by one long syllable or of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (as in above)
iambic
ī-ˈam-bik How to pronounce iamb (audio)
adjective or noun

Examples of iamb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The snow—the heroic iamb—is the epic material of trial and catharsis that people shouldn’t hope for in real life. — Wells Tower, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2020 There’s no therapy like clawing back through both your triumphant and dismal decades and reliving them stanza by stanza, line by line, iamb by iamb. — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin iambus, from Greek iambos

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of iamb was in 1586

Browse Nearby Words

IAM
iamb
iambelegus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Iamb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iamb. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

iamb

noun
ˈī-ˌam(b) How to pronounce iamb (audio)
: a metrical foot consisting of one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable (as in away)
iambic
ī-ˈam-bik How to pronounce iamb (audio)
adjective or noun

More from Merriam-Webster on iamb

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about iamb

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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