1: a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (such as the initial or final letters of the lines) taken in order form a word or phrase or a regular sequence of letters of the alphabet
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borrowed from Middle French & Greek; Middle French acrostiche, borrowed from Greek akrostichÃs, from akro-acro- + -stichis, derivative of stÃchos "line, row, rank," ablaut derivative of steÃchein "to go in order, walk, march" — more at stair