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Catch word

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A linking word placed at the end of one stanza and repeated at the start of the next.

Detailed Definition
A catch word is a repeated term or phrase strategically placed at the end of one stanza and the beginning of the next to create linkage and momentum; this mnemonic device, common in medieval and Renaissance poetry, ensures smooth transitions and reinforces thematic continuity, functioning like a verbal hinge that binds structural units through sonic and semantic echo.
Example
Example in poetry:
“A catch word is the last word of one stanza repeated as the first word of the next.”; “In medieval manuscripts, catch words helped with pagination by repeating the first word of the next page at the end of the previous.”
Additional Notes
A word, often the first word of the next page or section, that is printed at the bottom right of the current page; A device common in early printing to aid in ordering pages; Not a poetic device itself, but a historical feature of the book form.
Also Known As
cue word leading word catch phrase Anadiplosis
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