anacrusis

American  

[an-uh-kroo-sis] / ˌæn əˈkru sɪs /

noun

plural

anacruses

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

• anacrustic adjective
• anacrustically adverb

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

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)

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

If the first two syllables be regarded as anacrusis, the first line would be trochaic, with a dactyl substituted for a trochee in the second foot.

From The Principles of English Versification by Baum, Paull Franklin

This is couched in alternate three and five accent iambics, preparing a delicious rhythmic effect when the metre changes, in the invocation, to the octosyllable, with or without anacrusis.

From Minor Poems by Milton by Milton, John