Caesura
[sə-ZHOO-rə]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 16th century
1.
(in modern verse) a pause near the middle of a line.
Examples of Caesura in a sentence
"A caesura in the lines of a nursery rhyme allows the person reciting it to take a breath."
"Sue prefers singing hymns with caesuras, because it’s easy to figure out when to breathe."
About Caesura
The word “caesura” comes directly from the Latin “caesura,” referring to a pause in the meter of poetry.
Did you Know?
Any time a group of people singing a song all take a short break at the same time, they are observing a caesura. One of the most familiar caesuras is the slight pause following the words, “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,” which begin the Pledge of Allegiance. In fact, though it is only three lines long, the American Pledge of Allegiance contains several caesuras that contribute to its proud and solemn mood.
