a metrical foot consisting, in Greek and Latin verse, of two short syllables followed by a long one, or, as in English, of two unaccented syllables followed by an accented one
2.
a line of verse made up of such feet (Ex.: “Ănd thĕ shéen | ŏf thĕir spéars | wăs lĭke stárs | ŏn thĕ séa”)
Derived forms
anapestic (ˌanaˈpestic)
adjective, noun or ˌanaˈpaestic
Word origin
L anapaestus < Gr anapaistos < ana-, back + paiein, to strike: so called from reversing the dactyl
Examples of 'anapest' in a sentence
anapest
I watched, mesmerized, as she receded down the leaf-thick lane, clots of black earth being kicked up in the anapest meter of a gallop.