Which term refers to a line consisting of a single metrical foot?

• A. Dimeter
• B. Trimeter
• C. Monometer
• D. Tetrameter

Answer: (C)

Meter in poetry is about how many feet are in a line. A metrical foot is a small unit of rhythm, and a line’s meter is determined by how many of these feet it contains. When a line has just one foot, that is called monometer. The prefix mono- means one, so monometer literally means one-foot meter. This is in contrast to lines with two feet (dimeter), three feet (trimeter), or four feet (tetrameter). So the term that names a line with a single metrical foot is monometer. Because it has only one foot, such lines tend to be very short and can create a sharp or abrupt effect, which is why poets might choose it for a particular mood or emphasis.