anapest
Other forms: anapests
An anapest is a unit of poetry made up of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable. Some three-syllable words, like "contradict" and "interrupt," are anapests.
The structure and rhythm of a poem comes from its meter, the pattern made by stressed and unstressed syllables or "metrical feet." An anapest, a unit three syllables with the stress on the last syllable, is the opposite of the more common dactyl, which instead stresses the first of three syllables. "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore makes great use of anapests: "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house..."
-
a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed-stressed syllablessynonyms: anapaesttype of:foot, metrical foot, metrical unit(prosody) a group of 2 or 3 syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing anapest
One of the stumbling blocks when trying to study poetry is that it seems like a different world. Familiar things, like words, are put to unfamiliar use, and there is an entire descriptive vocabulary that is completely foreign and quite often puzzling. This list seeks to explain the words used to describe poetry through examples from famous poems. Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, "If you want to annoy a poet, explain his poetry," but we are willing to take that risk to make the world of literary analysis a little clearer and further illuminate the mystery of poetry.
You'll understand rhyme's reason when you practice this list of words related the structure of poetry. To learn even more about poetry, explore our lists on Genre and Literary Devices.
If you want to be well-versed in poetry, review this vocabulary list. Learn about parts of a poem, genres of poetry, literary devices, rhyme and meter, and more. This list is truly poetry in motion!