noun
- A line of verse consisting of twelve syllables, especially in French poetry.
Usage: Common in classical French drama and poetry
adjective
- Of, relating to, or written in alexandrines.
Examples
- The alexandrine was the dominant meter in French classical tragedy.
- Racine's plays are written largely in alexandrine verse.
- An alexandrine line typically has a caesura, or pause, in the middle.
- The poet chose the alexandrine form to give the work a formal, elevated tone.
- English poets occasionally adopted the alexandrine meter from French models.