anapaest

Variant of anapest

anapest definition

ana·pest or anapaest an′a·paest′ (an′ə pest′)

noun

  1. a metrical foot consisting, in Greek and Latin verse, of two short syllables followed by a long one, or, as in English, of two unaccented syllables followed by an accented one
  2. a line of verse made up of such feet (Ex.: “Ănd thĕ shéen | ŏf thĕir spéars | wăs lĭke stárs | ŏn thĕ séa”)

Etymology: L anapaestus < Gr anapaistos < ana-, back + paiein, to strike: so called from reversing the dactyl

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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