Alexandrine

Alexandrine is verse/poetry in iambic hexameter (six feet, stress on the first beat). More common in French than English, it's usually introduced into mostly iambic pentameter verse for variety sake. A Spenserian Stanza has 8 lines of pentameter followed by a line of hexameter, for example. For an example, see the Pope verse from Webster 1913 below.

Al`ex*an"drine

Belonging to Alexandria; Alexandrian.

Bancroft.

© Webster 1913.

Al`ex*an"drine (#), n. [F. alexandrin.]

A kind of verse consisting in English of twelve syllables.

The needless Alexandrine ends the song, That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. Pope.

© Webster 1913.