anacrusis

American  

[an-uh-kroo-sis] / ˌæn əˈkru sɪs /

noun

anacruses plural

1. Prosody. an unstressed syllable or syllable group that begins a line of verse but is not counted as part of the first foot.

2. Music. the note or notes preceding a downbeat; upbeat.

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anacrusis British  

/ ˌænəˈkrʌstɪk, ˌænəˈkruːsɪs /

noun

1. prosody one or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a line of verse

2. music

   1. an unstressed note or group of notes immediately preceding the strong first beat of the first bar

   2. another word for upbeat

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anacrustic
  adjective
• anacrustically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• anacruses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anacrusis

1825–35; < Latin < Greek anákrousis, equivalent to anakroú(ein ) to strike up, push back ( ana- ana- + kroúein to strike, push) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

anacrusis

Here we have anacrusis in lines 2 and 4.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

In line 2 is an instance of anacrusis.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

This may be trochaic with anacrusis or iambic with feminine endings, but neither quite adequately describes it.

From The Principles of English Versification by Baum, Paull Franklin

The first perpendicular marks the limit of the anacrusis.

From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by Smith, C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso)

Whether the half-line be first or second, it is usually of the A type without anacrusis.

From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by Smith, C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso)