In poetry, metre (Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling) refers to the basic rhythm pattern of a line or lines in a poem. Many traditional poetry styles require a specific metre or a set of metres that follow a particular order. The study and use of metres and poetry forms are called prosody.
Hyperbaton is a figure of speech where a phrase is disrupted by inserting other words between its parts. In modern times, the term is also used to describe changing the usual word order in a sentence. This is also called anastrophe.
Hypallage (pronounced /h aɪ ˈ p æ l ə dʒ iː /; from the Greek: ὑπαλλαγή, hypallagḗ, meaning “interchange, exchange”) is a figure of speech where the way two words are connected in a sentence is changed. More often, a word that usually describes one thing is instead connected to a different word in the sentence. This type of hypallage, which often gives human-like qualities to something that is not alive or not a person, is also called a transferred epithet.
A hymnal or hymnary is a book that contains hymns, which are songs used in religious services. These books are called hymnbooks or hymn books. They are used when a group of people sing together during church services.
A hymn is a type of song that is similar to a devotional song. It is written for worship or prayer and is usually directed toward a god or goddess, or a respected person or idea. The word “hymn” comes from the Greek word “hymnos,” which means “a song of praise.” A person who writes hymns is called a hymnist.
Humorism, also called the humoral theory, was a medical idea that explained how the human body was made and how it worked. This theory was used by doctors and thinkers in Ancient Greece and Rome. Humorism became less popular in the 17th century and was finally shown to be incorrect when scientists discovered microbes.
Humour (used in Commonwealth countries) or humor (used in American English) refers to the way experiences can cause laughter and amusement. The word comes from the idea of humoral medicine in ancient Greece, which believed that the balance of body fluids, called “humours” (Latin: humor, meaning “body fluid”), affected health and emotions. People of all ages and cultures enjoy humour.
Hudibrastic is a type of English verse. It is named after Samuel Butler’s poem “Hudibras,” which was published in parts between 1663 and 1678. For this poem, Butler created a mock-heroic verse structure.
Hubris (pronounced /ˈhjuːbrɪs/; from Ancient Greek ὕβρις (húbris) meaning “pride, insolence, outrage”) or sometimes spelled hybris (pronounced /ˈhaɪbrɪs/), refers to very high pride or overconfidence that can be risky. It is often linked to arrogance, which is an exaggerated belief in one’s own importance or abilities. Hubris, arrogance, and pretension are connected to a strong desire to win or succeed, even if it does not always lead to victory.
Hovering is a skill used by some animals with wings to stay mostly still in the air. This is often done by making quick downward movements with their wings to create upward force. At times, hovering is achieved by flapping or gliding against the wind; this method is known as “wind hovering,” “windhovering,” or “kiting.”