Etymology

anacreontic

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Today it means: Pertaining to the style of the Greek poet Anacreon, who wrote of wine and love; (specifically) designating a metre based on an anaclastic ionic dimeter. Full definition →

First used 17th c.Late Latin Anacreonticus ← Ancient Greek Ἀνακρέων
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἈνακρέων
  2. Late Latin · derived fromAnacreonticus
  3. English todayanacreontic

From Late Latin Anacreonticus, from Ancient Greek Ἀνακρέων (Anakréōn), Anacreon a Greek poet.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 17th c. Pertaining to the style of the Greek poet Anacreon, who wrote of wine and love; (specifically) designating a metre based on an anaclastic ionic dimeter.
  • from 17th c. Characterised by festivity and the celebration of love and/or drinking; bacchanalian, amorous.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.