anacrusis

Modern Latin, from Ancient Greek ἀνάκρουσις (anákrousis, “pushing up”), from ἀνακρούω (anakroúō, “I push up”), from ἀνά (aná, “up”) + κρούω (kroúō, “I strike”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /anəˈkɹuːsɪs/

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Beginning of BWV 736, with an anacrusis shown in red.

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anacrusis (plural anacruses)

1. (prosody) An unstressed syllable at the start of a verse.
2. (music) An unstressed note or notes before the first strong beat (or downbeat) of a phrase.
   • 1989, Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron:

     Then Etheridge poised his baton, jerked an upbeat, and made the violinists speak the low G and A of their anacrusis.

• crusis

anacrusis

1. plural of anacrusi