ˌanəˈkrüsə̇s noun
( plural anacru·ses -üˌsēz)
Etymology: New Latin & Greek; New Latin anacrusis, from Greek anakrousis act of pushing back, beginning of a song, from anakrouein to push back, begin a song (from ana- + krouein to strike, push) + -sis — more at rue
1. also an·a·krou·sis -ˈkrüsə̇s : one or more syllables at the beginning of a line of poetry that are regarded as preliminary to and not a part of the metrical pattern of that line
2. also anakrousis : upbeat ; specifically : one or more notes or tones preceding the first downbeat of a musical phrase — called also pickup
3. : a preparatory gesture leading into an accented or climactic dancing movement