Which term refers to a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry?

The term that refers to a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry is meter. Meter is a structured rhythm that defines the way a poem's lines are organized, typically involving a recurring sequence of feet, with each foot containing a certain number of syllables, which can be either stressed or unstressed. This regular pattern contributes to the musical quality of poetry and is fundamental in establishing the poem's pace and flow. Each type of meter, such as iambic pentameter or trochaic tetrameter, has distinctive characteristics that influence how the poem is read and perceived.

While rhythm generally refers to the overall movement and flow of sound in the lines of poetry, meter specifically denotes the formal, regular arrangement of that rhythm into measurable patterns. Stanza pertains to a group of lines forming a division in poetry, and verse is a general term for writing arranged with a metrical structure, which may not represent a specific pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Thus, meter is the most precise term for describing the structured pattern of stresses within a poem.