In lyric writing, multi-syllable words often have one stress, but there are many that have more than one. The “most” stressed is called the primary stress and other stresses are called secondary stresses.
Both primary stresses and secondary stresses contribute to a line’s length.
In my own experience, words that have secondary stresses are often words that can be broken down into multiple words, like microprocessor.
Examples
Stresses are capitalized. Primary stresses are bolded. Secondary stresses, if applicable, are italicized.
- Multi – MUL-ti
- Syllable – SYL-la-ble
- Elevator – EL-e-VA-tor
- Developing – de-VEL-lo-ping
- Periodic – pe-ri-OD-ic
- Deserve – de-SERVE
- Substructure – SUB-STRUC-ture
- Microprocessor – MI-cro-PRO-ces-sor
- University – u-ni-VER-si-ty
- Capitalism – CAP-it-al-IS-m