antistrophe

American  

[an-tis-truh-fee] / ænˈtɪs trə fi /

noun

1. the part of an ancient Greek choral ode answering a previous strophe, sung by the chorus when returning from left to right.

2. the movement performed by the chorus while singing an antistrophe.

3. Prosody. the second of two metrically corresponding systems in a poem.

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antistrophe British  

/ ænˈtɪstrəfɪ /

noun

1. 1. the second of two movements made by a chorus during the performance of a choral ode

   2. the second part of a choral ode sung during this movement

2. (in classical prosody) the second of two metrical systems used alternately within a poem

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Other Word Forms

• antistrophal
  adjective
• antistrophic
  adjective
• antistrophically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of antistrophe

1540–50; < Greek: a turning about. See anti-, strophe

Explanation

An antistrophe is the second part of a classical Greek ode, during which the chorus sings as it reverses its direction across the stage. In ancient Greece, the choral poetic form called an ode had three sections, beginning with the strophe and ending with the epode. In between was the antistrophe. The word in Greek is antistrophē, literally defined as "a turning back" and commonly used to mean "the return of the chorus." After this poem-singing group moved from right to left (or east to west) across the stage during the strophe, they reversed, moving left to right as they performed the antistrophe.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antistrophe

The deceased was the tragic hero, the survivors the innocent victims; there was the omnipresence of the deity, strophe and antistrophe of the chorus of mourners led by the preacher.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Behold, O King from the dark House of the grave, what we do! antistrophe.

From Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold by Matthew Arnold

The conversation was a prolonged paean to the host, with choral strophe and antistrophe.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 20. July, 1877. by Various

EPODE, in verse, the third part in an ode, which followed the strophe and the antistrophe, and completed the movement; it was called ἐπῳδὸς περίοδος by the Greeks.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6 "English Language" to "Epsom Salts" by Various

Strophe, the way of wisdom; antistrophe, the path of the wicked; conclusion, union of the two in a common image. iv.

From Select Masterpieces of Biblical Literature by Richard Green Moulton