Definition of «arsis»

Usage examples

1. In music theory, the concept of arsis refers to the "strong beat" or the accented part of a musical measure, while the opposite is the thesis, which represents the "weak beat."
2. In poetry, arsis is the term used to define the stressed syllables or strong beats in a line of verse. For example, in the line "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare, the stressed syllables are highlighted by capitalizing them: "SHALL I compare THEE to a SUMmer's DAY?"
3. In dance, arsis denotes the upward movement or lifting of a foot, while the lowering or dropping of a foot corresponds to the thesis. These terms are commonly used in ballet, where dancers emphasize their movements by accentuating the arsis and thesis sequences.
4. In rhetoric, arsis refers to the elevation of pitch or tone to emphasize a specific word or phrase in a speech or presentation, creating a more impactful effect on the listeners.
5. In ancient Greek and Roman prosody, arsis represents the "upbeat" or unaccented part of a metrical foot, whereas the thesis signifies the "downbeat" or accented part. This distinction aids in analyzing and understanding the rhythm and structure of classical poetry.