The AI-powered English dictionary
plural morae or moras
(Scottish law) A delay in bringing a claim. examples
(poetry) A unit used to measure lines and stanzas of poetry. quotations examples
In the quantitative meters in Sanskrit a heavy syllable is considered to be equal to two morae and a light syllable equivalent to one mora.
1918, Elcanon Isaacs, “The Metrical Basis of Hebrew Poetry”, in The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, volume 35, page 22
(phonology) A unit of syllable weight used in phonology, by which stress, foot structure, or timing of utterance is determined in some languages (e.g. Japanese). quotations
Instead of syllables, Japanese is supported by mora. (Tokyo is To-o-kyo-o, a four-mora word.) The word Nihongo consists of four morae, ni-ho-n-go, pronounced with four rhythmical units of sound.
2011, Senko K. Maynard, Learning Japanese for Real, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, page 32
plural moras
(botany) Any tree of the genus Mora of large South American trees. quotations examples
At length, somewhere about the centre of the wood, she led me to an immense mora tree, growing almost isolated, covering with its shade a large space of ground entirely free from undergrowth.
1904, W.H. Hudson, Green Mansions, A Romance of the Tropical Forest
The common mora (Mora moro). examples
uncountable
Alternative form of morra (finger-counting game) examples
plural morai
(historical, military) An ancient Spartan military unit of about a sixth of the Spartan army, typically composed of hoplites.