scansion
/ˈskænʃən/
noun
- The analysis of the rhythm and meter of a line of poetry by marking stressed and unstressed syllables.
- The poet's use of iambic pentameter becomes clear through careful scansion.
- In English class, we practiced scansion by marking the beats in Shakespeare's sonnets.
- Scansion helps readers understand how a poem is meant to sound when read aloud.