acrostic

noun

acros·​tic ə-ˈkrȯ-stik 

-ˈkrä-

1

: a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (such as the initial or final letters of the lines) taken in order form a word or phrase or a regular sequence of letters of the alphabet

2

: acronym

acrostic adjective

or less commonly acrostical

ə-ˈkrȯ-sti-kəl 

-ˈkrä-

acrostically

ə-ˈkrȯ-sti-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈkrä-

adverb

Examples of acrostic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All in all, every enjoyable aspect of solving an acrostic is well represented. —Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2020

Each land contains a group of puzzles that range from crosswords and acrostics to cryptograms and engineering problems. —Andrew Hetherington, Popular Mechanics, 12 Mar. 2020

An acrostic is typically a literary technique in which the first letters of the lines of a poem spell out a message. —BostonGlobe.com, 6 Nov. 2019

The new acrostic is one of many scattered throughout Milton’s text. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, 19 Sep. 2019

Drew, a twentysomething educator living in Florida, did just that, charming his matches with poems that were also acrostics spelling out such Tinder-favorite pickup lines as SEND NUDES and WANNA SMASH. —Casey Newton, The Verge, 11 Aug. 2018

Some contained complicated puzzles, acrostics, and rebuses (pictures that represent words or parts of words). —Marilyn Yalom, Time, 14 Feb. 2018

Two: The acrostics are a distraction, overshadowing the letters’ primary message. —Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Greek; Middle French acrostiche, borrowed from Greek akrostichís, from akro- acro- + -stichis, derivative of stíchos "line, row, rank," ablaut derivative of steíchein "to go in order, walk, march" — more at stair

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

acrostic

noun

acros·​tic ə-ˈkrȯs-tik 

-ˈkräs-

: a poem in which a set of letters (as the first letter of the lines) taken in order form a word or phrase