From Ancient Greek τετράς (tetrás, "four") + στίχος (stíchos, "row, line")
Meaning:
A four-line stanza or poem
Origin:
In ancient Greek poetry, a tetrastich was a four-line stanza used in various genres, including lyric poetry and drama.
The most notable example is the "epigram," a short, witty, or thought-provoking poem typically written in a tetrastich.
In English literature, the tetrastich became popular in the Romantic era (early 19th century), particularly in the works of poets such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Nowadays, the tetrastich is still a common form used in poetry, particularly in haiku-like poems or as a short verse at the beginning or end of a larger work.
