an·a·pest
ˈa-nə-ˌpest
: a metrical foot consisting of two short syllables followed by one long syllable or of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (such as unaware)
an·a·pes·tic
variants
or anapaestic
¦a-nə-¦pe-stik
especially British -¦pē-
: relating to or consisting of anapests
anapestically
adverb
¦a-nə-¦pe-sti-k(ə-)lē,
especially British -¦pē-
an·a·pes·tic
variants
or anapaestic
¦a-nə-¦pe-stik
especially British -¦pē-
plural -s
: an anapestic foot or line
Cite this Entry
“Anapest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anapest. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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