PENTAMETER, in ancient poetry, a kind of verse, consisting of five feet, or metres, whence the name. The two first feet may be either dactyls or spondees at pleasure; the third is always a spondee; and the two last anapæstes: such is the following verse of Ovid.
1 2 3 4 5
Carminibus versus tempus in omne mœr.
A pentameter verse subjoined to an hexameter, constitutes what is called electac. See ELEGIAC.