Anacreontic
Americanadjective
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in the manner of the Greek lyric poet Anacreon (?572–?488 bc ), noted for his short songs celebrating love and wine
-
(of verse) in praise of love or wine; amatory or convivial
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Anacreontic
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin Anacreōnticus, equivalent to Anacreōnt- (from Greek Anakreōnt-, stem of Anakréōn ) Anacreon + -icus adjective suffix; see -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Around 1776, the English composer John Stafford Smith wrote the tune “To Anacreon in Heaven” for the Anacreontic Society, a British gentlemen’s club that gathered regularly for dinners and concerts.
From The New Yorker ● Aug. 29, 2016
He wrote the poem “In Defense of Fort McHenry,” which was later set to the tune of a British song called “The Anacreontic Song” and eventually became the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
From Textbooks ● Dec. 30, 2014
Behind Key’s words lay a melody — the so-called Anacreontic Song — endlessly adaptable to the causes of its day, from the French Revolution to abolition to temperance and women’s rights.
From New York Times ● Jun. 27, 2014
The tune for the lyrics was written by John Stafford Smith, a member of the Anacreontic Society and the famous church musician.
From Washington Post
He is not, in any sense, one of the Anacreontic singers of the pleasures of wine, of whom Horace is the typical example in ancient times.
From The Roman Poets of the Republic by W. Y. Sellar
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