1. A form of verse consisting of stanzas of four lines, each with a specific metrical pattern, used especially in classical Latin and Greek poetry.
Usage: Usually used in plural or as a mass noun; Literary and classical poetry term

Examples

• Horace composed many of his odes in alcaics.
• The alcaics form was popular among Roman poets.
• Students of classical literature study alcaics to understand ancient verse structures.
• The metrical pattern of alcaics requires careful attention to syllable length and stress.
• Translators often struggle to preserve the alcaics form when rendering Latin poetry into English.