Acrostic

Acrostic
Acrostic
A poem the initial or final letters of whose verses form certain words or sentences

Catholic Encyclopedia. . 2006.

Acrostic
    Acrostic
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Acrostic
    (Akros stichos, "at the end of a verse".)
    A poem the initial or final letters (syllables or words) of whose verses form certain words or sentences. Its invention is attributed to Epicharmus. The most remarkable example of such a poem is attributed by Lactantius and Eusebius to the Erythræan sibyl, the initial letters forming the words Iesous Christos Theou houios soter (stauros), "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour (cross)". Omitting the doubtful parenthesis, these words form a minor acrostic: Ichthys, fish, the mystical symbol of our Lord. The acrostic is supposed to have been quite popular among the early Christians. In a wider sense the name acrostic is applied to alphabetical or "abecedarian" poems. In this kind of poetry the successive verses or stanzas begin with the successive letters of the alphabet. We see this exemplified is Pss. cxi, cxii, cxix (Vulg. cx, cxi, cxviii); Prov., xxxi, 10-31; Lam., i, ii, iii, iv; and in a less regular manner, in Pss. x, xxv, xxxv, cxlv (Vulg. ix, xxiv, xxxiv, xxxvi, cxliv); Ecclus., li, 18-38. (See HEBREW POETRY, PARALLELISM, PSALMS).
    LECLERCQ in Dict. d'achéol. chrét. et de lit. (Paris, 1903); VIGOUROUX in Dict. de la bible, s.v. Alphabétique (Poème) (Paris, 1895).
    A.J. MAAS
    Transcribed by Thomas J. Bress

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • Acrostic — A*cros tic, n. [Gr. ?; ? extreme + ? order, line, verse.] 1. A composition, usually in verse, in which the first or the last letters of the lines, or certain other letters, taken in order, form a name, word, phrase, or motto. [1913 Webster] 2. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acrostic — [ə krôs′tik, əkräs′tik] n. [Gr akrostichos < akros (see ACRO ) + stichos, line of verse] a verse or arrangement of words in which certain letters in each line, such as the first or last, when taken in order spell out a word, motto, etc. adj.… …   English World dictionary

  • Acrostic — A*cros tic, Acrostical A*cros tic*al, n. Pertaining to, or characterized by, acrostics. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acrostic — (n.) short poem in which the initial letters of the lines, taken in order, spell a word or phrase, 1580s, from M.L. acrostichis, from Gk. akrostikhis, from akros at the end, outermost (see ACRID (Cf. acrid)) + stikhos line of verse, lit. row (see …   Etymology dictionary

  • acrostic — ► NOUN ▪ a poem or puzzle in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. ORIGIN Greek akrostikhis, from akron end + stikhos row, line of verse …   English terms dictionary

  • Acrostic — This article is about a type of poem. For the word puzzle, see Acrostic (puzzle). An acrostic (Greek: ákros top ; stíchos verse ) is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other… …   Wikipedia

  • acrostic — acrostically, adv. /euh kraw stik, euh kros tik/, n. 1. a series of lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters when taken in order spell out a word, phrase, etc. adj. 2. Also, acrostical. of, like, or forming an… …   Universalium

  • acrostic — n. 1 a poem or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. 2 a word puzzle constructed in this way. Phrases and idioms: double acrostic one using the first and last letters of each line. single acrostic one using …   Useful english dictionary

  • acrostic — UK [əˈkrɒstɪk] / US [əˈkrɔstɪk] noun [countable] Word forms acrostic : singular acrostic plural acrostics a number of lines of writing, for example a poem or a word puzzle, in which particular letters from each line form a word or phrase …   English dictionary

  • acrostic — noun Etymology: Middle French & Greek; Middle French acrostiche, from Greek akrostichis, from akr acr + stichos line; akin to steichein to go more at stair Date: 1530 1. a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (as the initial or… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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