Strophe
/ˈstrɒf.i/noun
A metrical section of a lyric poem, especially one paired with an antistrophe.
Did you know?In ancient Greek performance, a strophe was the part sung while the chorus turned in one direction, so the word preserves a physical motion that became a literary form.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*strebʰ-
“to turn, twist”
Ancient Greek
Greek
στροφή (strophḗ)
“a turning, a turn; a twist”
Classical Greek
Greek
στροφή
“the turn of a choral dance; a stanza-like section”
Late Latin
Latin
strophe
“a stanza or division of a poem”
Middle English
English
strophe
“a stanza or turn in lyric poetry”
Modern English
English
strophe
“a metrical section of a lyric poem”
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