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