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ANACRUSIS

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an⋅a⋅cru⋅sis

  [an-uh-kroo-sis]
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–noun, plural -cru⋅ses  [-kroo-seez] .
1. Prosody. an unstressed syllable or syllable group that begins a line of verse but is not counted as part of the first foot.
2. Music. the note or notes preceding a downbeat; upbeat.
Origin:
1825–35; < L < Gk anákrousis, equiv. to anakroú(ein) to strike up, push back (ana- ana- + kroúein to strike, push) + -sis -sis

Related forms:
an⋅a⋅crus⋅tic  [an-uh-kruhs-tik] , adjective
an⋅a⋅crus⋅ti⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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an·a·cru·sis   (ān'ə-krōō'sĭs)   
n.  

  1. One or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a line of verse, before the reckoning of the normal meter begins.

  2. Music See upbeat.


[New Latin anacrūsis, from Greek anakrousis, beginning of a tune, from anakrouein, to strike up a song : ana-, ana- + krouein, to push.]
up·beat   (ŭp'bēt')   
n.   Music

  1. An unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure. Also called anacrusis, pickup.

  2. The upward stroke made by a conductor to indicate the beat that leads into a new measure.

adj.   Informal

  1. Optimistic: an upbeat business forecast.

  2. Happy; cheerful.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

anacrusis 
1833, "a syllable at the beginning of a verse before the rhyme," from Gk. anakrousis "a pushing back," from ana- "back" + krouein "to strike" (cognate with Rus. krusit, Lith. krusu "to smash, shatter," O.C.S. kruchu "piece, bit of food").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia

anacrusis

in classical prosody, the up (or weak) beat, one or more syllables at the beginning of a line of poetry that are not regarded as a part of the metrical pattern of that line. Some scholars do not acknowledge this phenomenon. The term is from the Greek anakrousis, meaning "the act of pushing back," or "beginning of a tune."

Learn more about anacrusis with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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