Anacrusis: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Anacrusis noun. One or more unstressed notes or syllables before the first strong beat of a tune or line.
How to say it
an-uh-KROO-siss/ˌanəˈkruːsɪs/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (KROO).
Anacrusis in a sentence
'Happy Birthday' begins with an anacrusis: the two notes of 'Happy' come before the beat.
The conductor lifted her baton a fraction early to cue the anacrusis.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- upbeat
- pickup
- lead-in
Opposite:
- downbeat
Where anacrusis comes from
From Greek anakrousis, a prelude, from anakrouein, to strike up a tune.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The conductor lifted her baton a fraction early to cue the _____.
- deus ex machina
- kitsch
- anacrusis
Show the answer
anacrusis: The conductor lifted her baton a fraction early to cue the anacrusis.