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n. 1. A poem or series of lines in which certain letters, usually the first in each line, form a name, motto, or message when read in sequence. 2. See word square. 3. A word puzzle in which the answers to several different clues form an anagram of a quotation, phrase, or other text. [French acrostiche, from Old French, from Greek akrostikhis : akron, head, end; see ACROMEGALY + stikhos, line; see steigh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] a·crostic adj.  (click for a larger image) acrostic |
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