caesura

noun

cae·​su·​ra si-ˈzyu̇r-ə  -ˈzhu̇r- 

plural caesuras or caesurae si-ˈzyu̇r-(ˌ)ē 

-ˈzhu̇r-

1

in modern prosody : a usually rhetorical break in the flow of sound in the middle of a line of verse

2

Greek and Latin prosody : a break in the flow of sound in a verse caused by the ending of a word within a foot

3

: break, interruption

a caesura between the movie and its sequel

4

: a pause marking a rhythmic point of division in a melody

caesural

si-ˈzyu̇r-əl 

-ˈzhu̇r-

adjective

Did you know?

Caesuras (or caesurae) are those slight pauses one makes as one reads verse. While it may seem that their most obvious role is to emphasize the metrical construction of the verse, more often we need these little stops (which may be, but are not necessarily, set off by punctuation) to introduce the cadence and phrasing of natural speech into the metrical scheme. The word caesura, borrowed from Late Latin, is ultimately from Latin caedere meaning "to cut." Nearly as old as the 450-year-old poetry senses is the general meaning of "a break or interruption."

Examples of caesura in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With National Socialism from 1933, however, a caesura occurred that is still unparalleled today. —Uwe Westphal, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2024

During the concert Friday night, the important silences between movements — caesuras central to the impact of the music — were consistently broken by applause. —Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2023

Nearly every line is interrupted with a caesura (a period, em dash, comma or question mark), mirroring a zigzagging mind. —Mark Wunderlich Victoria Chang, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2022

However, with a likely yearslong caesura between Muti’s tenure and, well, whoever’s, why get ahead of ourselves? —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022

Details like these are scattered throughout the first half of the novella, partly so Wallace can establish a generational caesura between Fogle and his father, the Reagan-campaign contributor. —Jon Baskin, The New Yorker, 27 July 2022

For Rapsody’s verse, medial caesura fashions a rhythmic back and forth — a left-foot, right-foot two-step. —Adam Bradley, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2021

There's a caesura, and then all the hands in the congregation go up. —Michael Paterniti, GQ, 26 June 2018

Mr. Korstvedt, the Bruckner Society president, pointed to the Fifth as an important caesura, concluding Bruckner’s earlier period with its daring fugal finale. —David Allen, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2017

Word History

Etymology

earlier also ceasure, cesure, borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French cesure, borrowed from Late Latin caesūra, going back to Latin, "cutting down, felling," from caesus, past participle of caedere "to strike, beat, kill, cut down, fell" + -ūra -ure — more at concise

First Known Use

circa 1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

caesura

noun

cae·​su·​ra si-ˈzu̇r-ə  -ˈzhu̇r- 

plural caesuras or caesurae -ˈzu̇(ə)r-(ˌ)ē 

-ˈzhu̇(ə)r-

: a break in the flow of sound usually in the middle of a line of verse