A deliberate pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation or natural speech rhythm. This pause creates emphasis, controls pacing, and can mirror the meaning of the words.
From Latin 'caesura' meaning 'a cutting,' derived from 'caedere' (to cut). The term originated in classical Latin poetry where it described mandatory pauses in epic verse, later adopted into English prosody to analyze rhythmic patterns.
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