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Heptameter

Literary/ Cultural Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)
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A poetic line of seven iambic feet used widely in England during the sixteenth century before it was replaced by the pentameter. The heptameter has the advantage of being readily divided in groups of four feet, then three, as often found in ballads.

43 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Heptameter". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=503, accessed 09 June 2026.]

503 Heptameter 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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