anacrustically
|an-a-crus-ti-cal-ly|
C2
/ˌænəˈkrʌstɪkli/
(anacrustic)
unstressed start
Etymology
Etymology Information
'anacrustically' originates from the Greek word 'anákrousis,' where 'ana-' meant 'up' and 'krousis' meant 'a striking.'
Historical Evolution
'anákrousis' transformed into the English word 'anacrusis,' and eventually became the adverb 'anacrustically.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the act of striking up a musical note, but over time it evolved into its current meaning related to the rhythmic structure of poetry.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner relating to or characteristic of an anacrusis, which is an unstressed syllable or syllables at the beginning of a verse.
The poem began anacrustically, setting a rhythmic tone.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/26 11:36