/kat'l ek"tik/ , Pros.
adj.
1. (of a line of verse) lacking part of the last foot; metrically incomplete, as the second line of One more unfortunate,/Weary of breath.
n.
2. a catalectic line of verse. Cf. acatalectic, hypercatalectic .
[ 1580-90; catalecticus katalektikós incomplete, equiv. to katalek-, var. s. of katalégein to leave off ( kata- CATA- + légein to end) + -tikos -TIC ]