spondee
/ˈspɒndi/ noun
Forms spondees spondeus
Etymology
From Latin spondēus (“spondee”), from Ancient Greek σπονδεῖος (spondeîos, “associated with a libation”) from σπονδή (spondḗ, “libation”): spondees were often used in melodies sung at libations.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [L. spondeus, Gr. spondée. So called because at libations slow, solemn melodies were used, chiefly in this meter.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “spondee”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details