What Are Spondaic Words

In a poem, a two-syllable unit of text that’s pronounced with equal stress on both syllables is a spondee. Words like “childhood” and “woodchuck” are usually pronounced as spondees. Like the iamb, the anapest, and the dactyl, a spondee is a metrical foot.

What is a spondee example?

To determine where the emphasis is placed in a word, say the word out loud. To hear an example of a spondee, say the words “bus stop” out loud and notice how both syllables are stressed. Other spondee examples include “toothache,” “bookmark,” and “handshake.”

What is Spondaic pattern?

Here’s a quick and simple definition: A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. The word “downtown” is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of “down” followed by another stressed syllable, “town”: Down-town.