catalectic

American  

[kat-l-ek-tik] / ˌkæt lˈɛk tɪk /

adjective

1. (of a line of verse) lacking part of the last foot; metrically incomplete, as the second line of One more unfortunate,/Weary of breath.

---

noun

1. a catalectic line of verse.

catalectic British  

/ ˌkætəˈlɛktɪk /

adjective

1. prosody (of a line of verse) having an incomplete final foot

---

Etymology

Origin of catalectic

1580–90; < Late Latin catalēcticus < Greek katalēktikós incomplete, equivalent to katalēk-, variant stem of katalḗgein to leave off ( kata- cata- + lḗgein to end) + -tikos -tic

Example Sentences

Dicatalectic, dī-kat-a-lek′tik, adj. doubly catalectic, both at the middle and end of the verse.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

The synaphea peculiar to this metre is neglected by him, and the rule that each system should close with a paroemiac or dimeter catalectic is constantly violated.

From The History of Roman Literature From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius by Cruttwell, Charles Thomas

Here, as almost always in English, the measure is catalectic, a final dactyl being instinctively avoided, except in short two-stress lines.

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

The former is trochaic—the latter is octameter acatalectic, alternating with heptameter catalectic repeated in the refrain of the fifth verse, and terminating with tetrameter catalectic.

From How to Write a Novel A Practical Guide to the Art of Fiction by Anonymous

Here the fourth and ninth lines are catalectic.

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