Iambic pentameter is a commonly used type of
metrical line in traditional English
poetry and
verse drama. The term describes the rhythm that the words establish in that line, which is measured in small groups of syllables called "
feet". The word "iambic" refers to the type of foot that is used, known as the
iamb, which in English is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The word "pentameter" indicates that a line has five of these "feet".