Main Entry:

ar·sis

Pronunciation:

\ˈär-səs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural ar·ses \-ˌsēz\

Etymology:

Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, raising of the voice, accented part of foot, from Greek, upbeat, less important part of foot, literally, act of lifting, from aeirein, airein to lift

Date:

14th century

1 a: the lighter or shorter part of a poetic foot especially in quantitative verse b: the accented or longer part of a poetic foot especially in accentual verse2: the unaccented part of a musical measure — compare thesis