n.
Pronunciation: ' a-n ə - ˌ pest
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin anapaestus, from Greek anapaistos, literally, struck back (a dactyl reversed), from ana- + -paistos, verbal of paiein to strike
Date: circa 1678
: a metrical foot consisting of two short syllables followed by one long syllable or of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (as unaware )
– an · a · pes · tic \ ˌ a-n ə - ' pes-tik \ adjective or noun