ictus

/ˈɪktəs/
noun
  1. A sudden attack, stroke, or seizure, especially a stroke caused by a blood clot or bleeding in the brain.
    • An ictus can cause lasting weakness on one side of the body.
    • Doctors quickly identified the ictus and began treatment to reduce brain damage.
    • The patient was rushed to the hospital after suffering an ictus.
  2. In poetry, a rhythmical or metrical stress; a beat or accent.
    • In Latin poetry, the ictus falls on the first syllable of each foot.
    • Understanding the ictus helps readers feel the poem's natural rhythm.
    • The poet used a strong ictus to emphasize the line's emotional climax.
What does "ictus" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean