backbeat

[ bak-beet ]

noun

, Popular Music.

1. a secondary or supplementary beat, as by a jazz drummer.

backbeat

/ ˈbækˌbiːt /

noun

1. See upbeat, downbeat
   music the second and fourth beats of a bar written in even time or, in more complex time signatures, the last beat of the bar Compare downbeat upbeat

Word History and Origins

Origin of backbeat¹

back ¹ + beat

Example Sentences

Because time marches to its own backbeat, many riot grrrls are now riot moms, raising new generations of kids who have to invent their own rebellion.

From Time

When he opened his mouth, out came that familiar soft-spoken voice with the slightly jazzy cadence—dry ice with a backbeat.

From The Daily Beast

Backbeat follows the early days of the Beatles in Germany and focuses on Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon.

From The Daily Beast