rhythm

[ rith-uhm ]

/ ˈrɪð əm /

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See synonyms for: rhythm / rhythms on Thesaurus.com

noun

movement or procedure with uniform or patterned recurrence of a beat, accent, or the like.

Music.

the pattern of regular or irregular pulses caused in music by the occurrence of strong and weak melodic and harmonic beats: She taught us the song, tapping out the rhythm for us on the table.
a particular form of this: duple rhythm; triple rhythm.

measured movement, as in dancing.

Art, Literature. a patterned repetition of a motif, formal element, etc., at regular or irregular intervals in the same or a modified form: I loved the pattern and rhythm of her story, with the repeating line about ancestors being proud of her actions.

the effect produced in a play, film, novel, etc., by the combination or arrangement of formal elements, as length of scenes, speech and description, timing, or recurrent themes, to create movement, tension, and emotional value in the development of the plot.

Prosody.

metrical or rhythmical form; meter; cadence: Most of her poems are free verse and do not follow a strict rhythm.
a particular kind of metrical form: Iambic rhythm has been the principal mode of English poetry since Chaucer.
metrical movement.

the pattern of recurrent strong and weak accents, vocalization and silence, and the distribution and combination of these elements in speech.

Physiology. the regular recurrence of an action or function, as of the beat of the heart, or the menstrual cycle: Waking up at the same time each day is good for your circadian rhythm—your 24-hour "body clock."

procedure marked by the regular recurrence of particular elements, phases, etc.: the rhythm of the seasons.

regular recurrence of elements in a system of motion.

OTHER WORDS FOR rhythm

9 flow, pulse, cadence.

See synonyms for rhythm on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of rhythm

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin rhythmus, from Greek rhythmós; compare rheîn “to flow”

OTHER WORDS FROM rhythm

rhythm·less, adjectivenon·rhythm, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rhythm

rhyme, rhythm

Words nearby rhythm

rhyming slang, rhynchocephalian, rhynchophore, rhyolite, Rhys, rhythm, rhythm-and-blues, rhythm band, rhythmic, rhythmical, rhythmic gymnastics

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use rhythm in a sentence

Millions of workers are unemployed, countless businesses are closed, and for many, the rhythms of work life may have been permanently changed.
Even With A Vaccine, The Economy Could Take Many Months To Return To Normal|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|August 25, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
HeartMath’s Inner Balance sensor for iPhone and Android measures heart rhythm patterns to gauge users’ emotional states with an app that also includes guided meditations, real-time coaching tips, and journaling.
5 companies that want to track your emotions|jakemeth|August 22, 2020|Fortune
The refs themselves were out of rhythm and needed time to readjust to the speed of the game.
Why Have NBA Offenses Been So Good In The Bubble?|Mike Prada|August 20, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
One big question, though, is whether women will turn out at high rates this year, with their kids out of school and the ordinary rhythms of life and work in disarray.
Women Won The Right To Vote 100 Years Ago. They Didn’t Start Voting Differently From Men Until 1980.|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|August 19, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

There’s almost a musicality and rhythm to the way he speaks.
Vidal vs. Buckley play reinvented as film|Patrick Folliard|August 8, 2020|Washington Blade
Sometimes a column has the economy and rhythm of a short story.
The Best Columns of 2014|John Avlon, Errol Louis|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Royal Christmases have a rhythm and routine—but this year Will, Kate, and baby George have their own, more relaxed plans.
Prince George’s Christmas: Better Than Yours|Tom Sykes|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A car parked at a red light honked its horn in rhythm with the chant as the crowd passed in front of it.
‘They Let Him Off?’ Scenes from NYC in Disbelief|Jacob Siegel|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most rhythm sections play pretty straight, but we were pushing him, the way we were with Miles.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I never got a definitive answer, but I think he was used to having a rhythm section that would not be that dynamic under him.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The significance of time is determined by the movement of any selection, or, in other words, the rhythm.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
The reason we associate rhythm with the significance of time is that rhythm is a measurer of time.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
The rhythm of a simple tune plays favourably on a child's ear, enhancing life according to this great law.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Much more attention should be given than is ordinarily devoted to the consideration of rhythm.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Their music is entirely of a light character, but they have rhythm and grace in a remarkable degree.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for rhythm

rhythm

/ (ˈrɪðəm) /

noun

the arrangement of the relative durations of and accents on the notes of a melody, usually laid out into regular groups (bars) of beats, the first beat of each bar carrying the stress
any specific arrangement of such groupings; timequadruple rhythm

(in poetry)

the arrangement of words into a more or less regular sequence of stressed and unstressed or long and short syllables
any specific such arrangement; metre

(in painting, sculpture, architecture, etc) a harmonious sequence or pattern of masses alternating with voids, of light alternating with shade, of alternating colours, etc

any sequence of regularly recurring functions or events, such as the regular recurrence of certain physiological functions of the body, as the cardiac rhythm of the heartbeat

Derived forms of rhythm

rhythmless, adjective

Word Origin for rhythm

C16: from Latin rhythmus, from Greek rhuthmos; related to rhein to flow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for rhythm

rhythm

[ rĭð′əm ]

Movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions, as in the heartbeat.

Cultural definitions for rhythm

rhythm

The “beat” of music; the regular pattern of long and short notes. Certain kinds of music, such as blues or marches, have a very characteristic rhythm. Rhythm, harmony, and melody are elements of music.

rhythm

OTHER WORDS FOR rhythm

Origin of rhythm

OTHER WORDS FROM rhythm

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rhythm

Words nearby rhythm

Words related to rhythm

How to use rhythm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rhythm

Derived forms of rhythm

Word Origin for rhythm

Medical definitions for rhythm

Cultural definitions for rhythm