trochee (n.)

metrical foot consisting of a long followed by a short syllable, or an accented followed by an unaccented one, 1580s, from French trochée, from Latin trochaeus "a trochee," from Greek trokhaios (pous), literally "a running (foot)," from trekhein "to run" (see truckle (n.)). Its rapid movement rendered it a fit accompaniment to dances.