anacrusis
nounUK /anəˈkɹuːsɪs/
Etymology Via New Latin from Ancient Greek ἀνάκρουσις (anákrousis, “pushing up”), from ἀνακρούω (anakroúō, “I push up”), from ἀνά (aná, “up”) + κρούω (kroúō, “I strike”).
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Phonology, Prosody, Sciences An unstressed syllable at the start of a verse.
2
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music An unstressed note or notes before the first strong beat (or downbeat) of a phrase.
- Then Etheridge poised his baton, jerked an upbeat, and made the violinists speak the low G and A of their anacrusis.1989, Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron:
- Related terms
- crusis