1. the study of metrical verse, especially the analysis of incomplete or truncated lines in poetry
Usage: literary; technical

Examples

• The professor’s lecture on catalectics explained how poets use incomplete meter for emphasis.
• Students of catalectics learn to identify missing syllables at the end of verse lines.
• Her thesis focused on catalectics in Shakespeare’s sonnets.
• The poetry workshop included a session on catalectics and metrical variation.
• Understanding catalectics helps readers appreciate the rhythm of classical verse.
• The textbook’s chapter on catalectics was particularly challenging for new students.