akrostikon

An akrostikon is a text in which the initial, final, or middle letters of lines, verses, or paragraphs spell out a word or message. The term comes from the Greek akros, meaning top or beginning, and stichē, meaning line. In practice, akrostika are used to encode a name, dedication, or phrase within a larger body of text.

The main variants include the acrostic (initial letters), the telestich (final letters), and the mesostich (middle letters). A message may be a single word, a name, or a longer phrase. Akrostika can be simple or complex, and they may be explicit or subtle, depending on how the letters are chosen and arranged.

Historically, acrostics appear in ancient and medieval literature and inscriptions. In the Hebrew Bible, many works employ alphabetic acrostics; Psalm 119 is a complete alphabetic acrostic, and other psalms and sections of Lamentations also use alphabetic order. Acrostics have served purposes ranging from mnemonic devices to devotional or dedicatory features, as well as artistic or cryptographic expressions.

In modern usage, acrostics are common in word puzzles, such as newspaper or magazine acrostic games, and in artistic or literary compositions where a hidden name or message adds an extra layer of meaning. The term akrostikon is used in some languages to refer to this device, while in English the standard term is acrostic.