1. Plural of caesura; a pause or break in a line of verse, typically in the middle, marked by a natural pause in speech or meter.
Usage: literary/poetic term; also spelled 'cesura' or 'cesuras'
2. In music, a brief silence or pause between phrases or sections.
Usage: musical term

Examples

• The caesurae in Virgil's Aeneid often occur at the midpoint of the line.
• Poets use caesurae to create rhythm and emphasize certain words.
• The caesurae in this sonnet help establish its formal structure.
• Medieval Latin verse frequently employs caesurae to mark grammatical divisions.
• The composer indicated several caesurae in the orchestral score to allow the musicians to breathe.