First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
arsis
noun ar·sis \ˈär-səs\
plural ar·ses \-ˌsēz\
Definition of ARSIS
1
a : the lighter or shorter part of a poetic foot especially in quantitative verse b : the accented or longer part of a poetic foot especially in accentual verse
2
: the unaccented part of a musical measure — compare thesis
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Origin of ARSIS
Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, raising of the voice, accented part of foot, from Greek, upbeat, less important part of foot, literally, act of lifting, from aeirein, airein to lift
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