Anacrusis

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
- n Anacrusis (Pros) A prefix of one or two unaccented syllables to a verse properly beginning with an accented syllable.
- ***

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

- n anacrusis In prosody, an upward beat at the beginning of a verse, consisting of either one or two unaccented syllables, regarded as separate from and introductory to the remainder of the verse.
- ***

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary

- n Anacrusis an-a-krōō′sis (pros.) an upward beat at the beginning of a verse, consisting of one or two unaccented syllables introductory to the just rhythm.
- ***

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Gr. , fr. to push up or back; + to strike

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary

Gr. from ana, up, krou-ein, to strike.

This may be trochaic with anacrusis or iambic with feminine endings, but neither quite adequately describes it.

"The Principles of English Versification" by Paull Franklin Baum

***

Definitions