Alexandrianism (alegzandrianizm)

The teachings of the Alexandrian school of theology, especially in its distinctive characteristics. See Alexandrian. Also written Alexan drinism. Alexandrine (al-eg-zan'drin), a. and n. [L. Alex and rin us, Alexandria: see Alexandrian.] I. a. Same as Alexandrian, 1. For some time a steady advance of science appeared to be insured by the labors of the Alexandrine school. Pop. Sci . Mo., XIII. 263. Alexandrine liturgy, the liturgy of St. Mark. See liturgy. - Alexandrine mosaic, or opus Alexandri num, a kind of rich mosaic in which are used red and green porphyries, precious marbles, enamels, and other costly and brilliant materials. It has its name from the Emperor Alexander Severus (A. D. 222-235), and was used for friezes, panels, etc., under the later Roman empire. II. n. [F. alex and rin : so called, it is said, from Alexandre Paris, an old French poet, or from poems written by him and others in this meter on the life of Alexander the Great.) In pros ., an iambic hexapody, or series of six iambic feet. French Alexandrines are written in couplets, alternately acatalectic with masculine rimes and hyper with feminine rimes. French tragedies are gen erally composed in Alexandrines. The cesura occurs at the end of the third foot. The second line of the following extract is an example: A needle Alexandrine ends the song, That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. Pope, E ay on Criticism, 1. 356.