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prosody
NOUN:

1. the science or study of poetic meters and versification.

2. a particular or distinctive system of metrics and versification: 
Milton's prosody.

3. the study of poetic metre and of the art of versification, including rhyme, stanzaic forms, and the quantity and stress of syllables.

4. a system of versification.

5. the patterns of stress and intonation in a language.

6. the study of versification, especially the systematic study of metrical structure.

7. a particular system, theory, or style of versification.

8. the rhythmic and intonational aspect of language.

in linguistics: 

the stress and intonation patterns of an utterance.

Recent Examples on the Web (Merriam-Webster): 

Among my friends, at least my guy friends, a return to traditional prosody. 

—Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, "The Rose," 6 July 2020 * 

But the number that are fit for verse, in terms of both meaning and prosody, is much smaller.


—The Economist, "Johnson Is music a language, as Stevie Wonder sang?," 30 May 2020 * 

Origin:

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin prosōdia<Greek prosōidía tone or accent, modulation of voice, song sung to music, equivalent to prós toward + ōid(ḗ) ode + -ia-y3. Dictionary 2: C15: from Latin prosōdia accent of a syllable, from Greek prosōidia song set to music, from pros towards + ōidē, from aoidē song; see ode. —Dictionary.com. //

First Known Use of prosody: 15th century. History and Etymology for prosody: Middle English, from Latin prosodia accent of a syllable, from Greek prosōidia song sung to instrumental music, accent, from pros in addition to + ōidē song — more at pros-, ode. —Merriam-Webster.

Sources: 1, 2.

prosody
noun
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