English
anastrophe
Anastrophe comes from Ancient Greek ἀναστροφή ‘turning back, return’, and goes back to στρέφω ‘to turn’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEστρέφωstréphō‘to turn’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀναστροφήanastrophḗ‘turning back, return’
- Englishearliest quotation 1835anastrophe
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEστρέφωstréphō‘to turn’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀναστροφήanastrophḗ‘turning back, return’
- Englishearliest quotation 1835anastrophe
Earliest quotation: 1835, Larret Langley, [Rhetorical Figures.] Anastrophe.: “Anastrophe often, by a pleasing change, Gracefuly puts last…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek στρέφω ‘to turn’
Today it means
noun Unusual word order, often involving an inversion of the usual pattern of the sentence.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek στρέφω / anastrophe