Main Entry: an·a·cru·sis

Pronunciation: \ˌa-nə-ˈkrü-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural an·a·cru·ses \-ˌsēz\

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek anakrousis beginning of a song, from anakrouein to begin a song, from ana- + krouein to strike, beat; akin to Lithuanian kraušyti to strike

Date: 1830

1 : one or more syllables at the beginning of a line of poetry that are regarded as preliminary to and not a part of the metrical pattern
2 : upbeat; specifically : one or more notes or tones preceding the first downbeat of a musical phrase