In
poetry,
metre (
meter in US spelling) is the basic
rhythmic structure of a
verse or
lines in verse. Many traditional
verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study and the actual use of metres and forms of versification are both known as
prosody. (Within
linguistics, "
prosody" is used in a more general sense that includes not only poetic metre but also the rhythmic aspects of
prose, whether formal or informal, that vary from language to language, and sometimes between poetic traditions.)