acrostic

acrostic
\ \ [16] An acrostic is a piece of verse in which the first letters of each line when put together spell out a word. The term is of Greek origin (akrostikhis), and was formed from ákrosat the extremity’ (see ACROBAT) and stíkhosline of verse’. The second element crops up in several other prosodic terms, such as distich and hemistich, and comes from the Greek verb steíkheingo’, which is related ultimately to English stair, stile, and stirrup.
\ \ Cf.ACROBAT, DISTICH, HEMISTICH, STAIR, STILE, STIRRUP

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Acrostic — • A poem the initial or final letters of whose verses form certain words or sentences Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Acrostic     Acrostic      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Acrostic — A*cros tic, n. [Gr. ?; ? extreme + ? order, line, verse.] 1. A composition, usually in verse, in which the first or the last letters of the lines, or certain other letters, taken in order, form a name, word, phrase, or motto. [1913 Webster] 2. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acrostic — [ə krôs′tik, əkräs′tik] n. [Gr akrostichos < akros (see ACRO ) + stichos, line of verse] a verse or arrangement of words in which certain letters in each line, such as the first or last, when taken in order spell out a word, motto, etc. adj.… …   English World dictionary

  • Acrostic — A*cros tic, Acrostical A*cros tic*al, n. Pertaining to, or characterized by, acrostics. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acrostic — (n.) short poem in which the initial letters of the lines, taken in order, spell a word or phrase, 1580s, from M.L. acrostichis, from Gk. akrostikhis, from akros at the end, outermost (see ACRID (Cf. acrid)) + stikhos line of verse, lit. row (see …   Etymology dictionary

  • acrostic — ► NOUN ▪ a poem or puzzle in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. ORIGIN Greek akrostikhis, from akron end + stikhos row, line of verse …   English terms dictionary

  • Acrostic — This article is about a type of poem. For the word puzzle, see Acrostic (puzzle). An acrostic (Greek: ákros top ; stíchos verse ) is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other… …   Wikipedia

  • acrostic — acrostically, adv. /euh kraw stik, euh kros tik/, n. 1. a series of lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters when taken in order spell out a word, phrase, etc. adj. 2. Also, acrostical. of, like, or forming an… …   Universalium

  • acrostic — n. 1 a poem or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. 2 a word puzzle constructed in this way. Phrases and idioms: double acrostic one using the first and last letters of each line. single acrostic one using …   Useful english dictionary

  • acrostic — UK [əˈkrɒstɪk] / US [əˈkrɔstɪk] noun [countable] Word forms acrostic : singular acrostic plural acrostics a number of lines of writing, for example a poem or a word puzzle, in which particular letters from each line form a word or phrase …   English dictionary

  • acrostic — noun Etymology: Middle French & Greek; Middle French acrostiche, from Greek akrostichis, from akr acr + stichos line; akin to steichein to go more at stair Date: 1530 1. a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (as the initial or… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”