Iambical is an adjective that is derived from the term "iamb," which is a metrical foot in poetry consisting of two syllables, with the first syllable being unstressed or weak, and the second syllable being stressed or strong. The term iambical is used to describe any word, line, or verse that adheres to the iambic meter or exhibits qualities associated with iambic rhythm.
In the context of poetry, when a line or verse is described as iambical, it indicates that each foot within that line or verse follows the iambic pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. For example, the line "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" from Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 follows an iambical pattern with five iambs used to construct the line.
However, the term iambical can also be applied to individual words or phrases, signifying that they can be pronounced in a way that naturally adheres to the iambic rhythmic structure. In such cases, spoken emphasis is placed on the second syllable of the word, whereas the first syllable is given less accent or emphasis.
Overall, iambical is an adjective that refers to the iambic meter or rhythm in poetry, whether it be applied to entire lines, verses, or individual words, highlighting the characteristic arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.
