caesura

[ si-zhoor-uh, -zoor-uh, siz-yoor-uh ]

noun

, plural cae·su·ras, cae·su·rae [si-, zhoor, -ee, -, zoor, -ee, siz-, yoor, -ee].

1. Prosody. a break, especially a sense pause, usually near the middle of a verse, and marked in scansion by a double vertical line, as in know then thyself ‖ presume not God to scan.
2. Classical Prosody. a division made by the ending of a word within a foot, or sometimes at the end of a foot, especially in certain recognized places near the middle of a verse.
3. any break, pause, or interruption.

caesura

/ sɪˈzjʊərə /

noun

1. (in modern prosody) a pause, esp for sense, usually near the middle of a verse line Usual symbol||
2. (in classical prosody) a break between words within a metrical foot, usually in the third or fourth foot of the line

Derived Forms

• caeˈsural, adjective

Other Words From

• cae·sural cae·suric adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caesura¹

1550–60; < Latin, equivalent to caes ( us ) cut (past participle of caedere ) ( caed- cut + -tus past participle suffix) + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of caesura¹

C16: from Latin, literally: a cutting, from caedere to cut

Example Sentences

This is a detail from "Caesura" by Emily Henretta, on view now at Room East in New York.

From The Daily Beast

Notice some examples where the caesura necessarily preserves a final -e from elision, as in B 3989; where tal-e occurs before al.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence there is no need to elide a vowel at the caesura; it must therefore be sounded clearly.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter syllable of profit comes at the caesura, and is easily read quickly.

From Project Gutenberg

In verses of eleven or twelve syllables, however, the caesura is usually employed to give a break in a determined place.

From Project Gutenberg

The caesura requires a strong accent on the syllable preceding it, and does not prevent synalepha.

From Project Gutenberg