anapest

or an·a·paest

[ an-uh-pest ]

See synonyms for: anapestic on Thesaurus.com

nounProsody.

a foot of three syllables, two short followed by one long in quantitative meter, and two unstressed followed by one stressed in accentual meter, as in for the nonce.

Origin of anapest

1580–90; <Latin anapaestus<Greek anápaistos struck back, reversed (as compared with a dactyl), equivalent to ana-ana- + pais- (variant stem of paíein to strike) + -tos past participle suffix

Other words from anapest

an·a·pes·tic, an·a·paes·tic, adjective
an·a·pes·ti·cal·ly, an·a·paes·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby anapest

How to use anapest in a sentence

An anapest is a three-syllable foot accented on the last syllable.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
It is hovering between the form of the first two feet and the anapest of the last foot.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
This may occur when the accent is upon the last syllable of the foot; that is, when the foot is an iambus or an anapest.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
It will be noted that the dactyl is very closely related in expression to the trochee, and the anapest to the iambic.
Browning and the Dramatic Monologue | S. S. Curry
The trochee and the dactyl are interchangeable; and the iambus and the anapest are interchangeable.
English: Composition and Literature | W. F. (William Franklin) Webster

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