Anacrises is a term that is not commonly used in everyday language. It is a word that is often found in literary and poetic contexts. If you are not familiar with this term, you might be wondering what it means and why it is important. This article will provide you with a detailed definition and meaning of anacrises.
Definitions
Anacrises is a term used in poetry and music. It refers to the unstressed syllable that precedes the stressed syllable at the beginning of a line of verse or a musical phrase. The anacrises is also known as the upbeat or pickup.
Origin
The origin of the word anacrises is from the Greek word “anakrisis,” which means “a sounding back.” The term was first used in ancient Greek poetry, where it referred to the rising inflection of the voice at the beginning of a line of verse.
Meaning in different dictionaries
Anacrises is not a common word, and it is not found in most dictionaries. However, it is defined in some specialized dictionaries. For example, the Oxford English Dictionary defines anacrises as “an unstressed syllable at the beginning of a line of verse or a musical phrase.”
Associations
Anacrises is associated with poetry, music, and rhythm. It is an essential element of meter, which is the rhythmic structure of a poem or a musical composition. Anacrises helps to create a sense of flow and momentum in a poem or a musical piece.
Synonyms
There are several synonyms for anacrises, including upbeat, pickup, and anapest.
Antonyms
The antonyms of anacrises are the stressed syllables that follow the anacrises. These syllables are known as the downbeat or the downstroke.
The same root words
The root word of anacrises is “anakrisis,” which means “a sounding back” in Greek. This root word is also found in other terms related to sound and music, such as anacrusis and anacrustic.
Example Sentences
Here are some examples of anacrises in poetry and music:
- In the first line of William Wordsworth’s poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” the anacrises is the word “I”: “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”
- In the opening phrase of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the anacrises is the first three notes: “da-da-da-dum.”
- In the opening line of T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the anacrises is the word “Let”: “Let us go then, you and I.”
In conclusion, anacrises is a term that is used in poetry and music to refer to the unstressed syllable that precedes the stressed syllable at the beginning of a line of verse or a musical phrase. It is an essential element of meter and helps to create a sense of flow and momentum in poetry and music.