antistrophe

American  

[an-tis-truh-fee] / ænˈtɪs trə fi /

noun

1. the part of an ancient Greek choral ode answering a previous strophe, sung by the chorus when returning from left to right.

2. the movement performed by the chorus while singing an antistrophe.

3. Prosody. the second of two metrically corresponding systems in a poem.

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antistrophe British  

/ ænˈtɪstrəfɪ, ˌæntɪˈstrɒfɪk /

noun

1. 1. the second of two movements made by a chorus during the performance of a choral ode

   2. the second part of a choral ode sung during this movement

2. (in classical prosody) the second of two metrical systems used alternately within a poem

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Other Word Forms

• antistrophal adjective
• antistrophic adjective
• antistrophically adverb

Etymology

Origin of antistrophe

1540–50; < Greek: a turning about. See anti-, strophe

Explanation

An antistrophe is the second part of a classical Greek ode, during which the chorus sings as it reverses its direction across the stage. In ancient Greece, the choral poetic form called an ode had three sections, beginning with the strophe and ending with the epode. In between was the antistrophe. The word in Greek is antistrophē, literally defined as "a turning back" and commonly used to mean "the return of the chorus." After this poem-singing group moved from right to left (or east to west) across the stage during the strophe, they reversed, moving left to right as they performed the antistrophe.

Example Sentences

The deceased was the tragic hero, the survivors the innocent victims; there was the omnipresence of the deity, strophe and antistrophe of the chorus of mourners led by the preacher.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

The antistrophe corresponds metrically to the strophe, as usual; the epodes are in four-stress couplets.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

The second is only a distant imitation of the antistrophe.

From Gryll Grange by Peacock, Thomas Love

His chanting and his playing answer and supplement each other, like strophe and antistrophe.

From Idolatry A Romance by Hawthorne, Julian

The Greek odes were accompanied by music and dancing, the singers moving to one side during the strophe, retracing their steps during the antistrophe, ... and standing still during the epode.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald