Alexandrine

UK: 'Alexandrine', 'alexandrine': /ˌælɪɡˈzændraɪn/, /ˌælɪɡˈzɑːndrɪn/

US: (al′ig zan′drin, -drēn, -zän′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Al•ex•an•drine  (al′ig zan′drin, -drēn, -zän′-), [Pros.]
n. 

1. Poetry (often l.c.) a verse or line of poetry of twelve syllables.

adj. 

2. Poetry (often l.c.) of or pertaining to such a verse or line.

• Middle French alexandrin, after Alexandre, from the use of this meter in an Old French poem on Alexander the Great; see -ine¹
• 1580–90

Al•ex•an•drine  (al′ig zan′drin, -drēn, -zän′-), adj. 

1. Ancient History of or pertaining to Alexandria, Egypt.

• Alexandr(ia) + -ine¹ 1490–1500

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Alexandrine / ˌælɪɡˈzændraɪn -drɪn -ˈzɑːn-/ noun

1. a line of verse having six iambic feet, usually with a caesura after the third foot

adjective

1. of, characterized by, or written in Alexandrines

Etymology: 16th Century: from French alexandrin, from Alexandre, title of 15th-century poem written in this metre