Paeonic
/piːˈɒnɪk/noun
Relating to a paeon, a classical metrical foot of four syllables containing one long syllable and three short ones.
Did you know?The term is connected with ancient Greek metrical vocabulary and is traditionally associated with the paean, a hymn of invocation or thanksgiving, although the deeper origin is debated.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Παιών (Paiōn)
“Paeon, a divine healer or healing deity in Greek tradition; also associated with the term for a paeonic metrical foot”
Classical Greek
Greek
παιών (paiōn)
“A metrical foot of four syllables, conventionally one long followed by three short syllables”
Classical Greek
Greek
παιωνικός (paiōnikos)
“Relating to a paeon or to paeonic meter”
Late Antiquity
Latin
paeonicus
“Paeonic; relating to the paeon in prosody”
17th Century
English
paeonic
“Relating to the paeon or to a four-syllable classical metrical pattern”
Modern English
English
paeonic
“Pertaining to a paeon, especially in classical poetic meter”