ˈpēən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin paeon, from Greek paiōn from paian, paiōn, paean — more at paean
1. : a metrical foot of four syllables with one of the syllables long and the other three short (as in classical prosody) or with one of the syllables stressed and the other three unstressed or lesser in stress (as in English prosody) and with the long or stressed syllable varying in position from first to second or third or fourth place — called also respectively (1) first paeon — symbol -˘˘˘ also óooo; (2) second paeon — symbol ˘-˘˘ also oóoo; (3) third paeon — symbol ˘˘-˘ also ooóo; (4) fourth paeon — symbol ˘˘˘- also oooó
2. : a verse written in paeons