ictus

American  

[ik-tuhs] / ˈɪk təs /

noun

plural

ictuses, ictus

1. Prosody. rhythmical or metrical stress.

2. Pathology.

   1. an epileptic seizure.

   2. a stroke, especially a cerebrovascular accident.

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ictus British  

/ ˈɪktəs /

noun

1. prosody metrical or rhythmic stress in verse feet, as contrasted with the stress accent on words

2. med a sudden attack or stroke

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Other Word Forms

• ictal
  adjective
• ictic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ictus

1700–10; < Latin: stroke, thrust, equivalent to īc ( ere ) to strike with a weapon + -tus suffix of v. action

Example Sentences

The instrumentalists, from the Belgian ensemble Ictus, played the first part alone; then the dancers performed a silent sequence that, one gradually realized, matched the preceding music.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 24, 2016

The final section, with Ictus behind the dancers, began a slow progression of sound losing its vitality and dancers losing theirs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2015

The judicious editing captures pleasing particulars, like dancers exchanging smiles through their exhaustion, and the musicians of the Ictus ensemble playing industriously, lined up at the rear of the stage.

From New York Times • Sep. 3, 2015

Ictus, 366, 5. -icus, suffix, 151, 2; 152, 2. id aetātis, 185, 2. id genus, 185, 1. id quod 247, 1, b. id temporis, 185, 2.

From New Latin Grammar by Bennett, Charles E. (Charles Edwin)

Ictus, ik′tus, n. a stroke: rhythmical or metrical stress.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various