anacrusis

[ an-uh-kroo-sis ]
/ ˌæn əˈkru sɪs /

noun, plural an·a·cru·ses [an-uh-kroo-seez] /ˌæn əˈkru siz/.

Prosody. an unstressed syllable or syllable group that begins a line of verse but is not counted as part of the first foot.
Music. the note or notes preceding a downbeat; upbeat.

Origin of anacrusis

1825–35; < Latin < Greek anákrousis, equivalent to anakroú(ein) to strike up, push back ( ana- ana- + kroúein to strike, push) + -sis -sis

OTHER WORDS FROM anacrusis

an·a·crus·tic [an-uh-kruhs-tik] /ˌæn əˈkrʌs tɪk/, adjective an·a·crus·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby anacrusis

anacreontic, anacrogynous, anacrotic, anacrotic pulse, anacrotism, anacrusis, anacusis, anadama bread, anadem, anadenia, anadicrotic

British Dictionary definitions for anacrustic

anacrusis
/ (ˌænəˈkruːsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-siːz)

prosody one or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a line of verse
music
  1. an unstressed note or group of notes immediately preceding the strong first beat of the first bar
  2. another word for upbeat

Derived forms of anacrusis

anacrustic (ˌænəˈkrʌstɪk), adjective

Word Origin for anacrusis

C19: from Greek anakrousis prelude, from anakrouein to strike up, from ana- + krouein to strike