anapaest Definition
a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable, as in 'un-der-STAND'.
Using anapaest: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "anapaest" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The poem is written in anapaests.
Example
The anapaestic rhythm creates a lively and upbeat tone in the verse.
Example
Anapaests are commonly used in comic and light poetry.
Phrases with anapaest
a line of verse consisting of four anapaestic metrical feet
Example
The poem's anapaestic tetrameter gives it a bouncy and playful rhythm.
a line of verse consisting of two anapaestic metrical feet
Example
The nursery rhyme 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' is written in anapaestic dimeter.
a line of verse consisting of three anapaestic metrical feet
Example
The poem 'The Destruction of Sennacherib' by Lord Byron is written in anapaestic trimeter.
Origins of anapaest
from Greek 'anapaistos', meaning 'struck back'
Summary: anapaest in Brief
'Anapaest' [ˈænəpiːst] is a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable. It is commonly used in comic and light poetry to create a lively and upbeat tone. The term extends into phrases like 'anapaestic tetrameter,' 'anapaestic dimeter,' and 'anapaestic trimeter,' which denote lines of verse consisting of four, two, and three anapaestic metrical feet, respectively.
