CATALECTIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does catalectic mean? 

• CATALECTIC (noun)
  The noun CATALECTIC has 1 sense:

1. (prosody) a line of verse that lacks a syllable in the last metrical foot

  Familiarity information: CATALECTIC used as a noun is very rare.

• CATALECTIC (adjective)
  The adjective CATALECTIC has 1 sense:

1. (verse) metrically incomplete; especially lacking one or more syllables in the final metrical foot

  Familiarity information: CATALECTIC used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CATALECTIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(prosody) a line of verse that lacks a syllable in the last metrical foot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("catalectic" is a kind of...):

line of poetry; line of verse (a single line of words in a poem)

Domain category:

metrics; prosody (the study of poetic meter and the art of versification)

Derivation:

catalectic ((verse) metrically incomplete; especially lacking one or more syllables in the final metrical foot)

catalexis (the absence of a syllable in the last foot of a line or verse)

• CATALECTIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(verse) metrically incomplete; especially lacking one or more syllables in the final metrical foot

Antonym:

acatalectic ((verse) metrically complete; especially having the full number of syllables in the final metrical foot)

hypercatalectic ((verse) having an extra syllable or syllables at the end of a metrically complete verse or in a metrical foot)

Derivation:

catalectic ((prosody) a line of verse that lacks a syllable in the last metrical foot)

catalexis (the absence of a syllable in the last foot of a line or verse)