metrical.

1. Relating to the patterned organization of syllables or stresses in verse.

2. Relating to measurement or the use of measures.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• metrical pattern
• metrical variation

On the page

The metrical pattern remained audible even where the sentence crossed the line ending.

Metrical variation placed emphasis on a word that otherwise seemed ordinary.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Relational adjective; ordinarily no comparative or superlative. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, narrative analysis, characterization, contrast. Disciplines: literary analysis, prose writing, advanced general English. Commonness: moderately common.