catalectic

From Latin catalecticus, from Ancient Greek καταληκτικός (katalēktikós, “leaving off, incomplete”) from κατά (katá, “down, wholly”) + ληκτικός (lēktikós, “causing to stop”)

catalectic

1. (poetry) Said of a line with incomplete meter, lacking a syllable at the end or ending with an incomplete foot.
2. incomplete; partial; not affecting the whole of a substance

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Abney to this entry?)

catalectic (plural catalectics)

1. (poetry) A line with incomplete meter, lacking a syllable at the end or ending with an incomplete foot.

• catalexis
• acatalectic
• brachycatalectic
• hypercatalectic
• hypercatalexis