rhythm-and-blues
[ rith -uh m-uh n-blooz ]
/ ˈrɪð əm ənˈbluz /
noun
a folk-based but urbanized form of black popular music that is marked by strong, repetitious rhythms and simple melodies and was developed, in a commercialized form, into rock-'n'-roll.
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Word Of The Day Quiz For Your Post-Holiday BluesIt’s no longer yule. Bask in the afterglow and take this Word of the Day Quiz to brighten your blues! Tell us your favorite word from this week below (and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)! If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Improve your vocabulary with our Visual Word of the Day videos. See this week’s here.
Nearby words
rhythm band, rhythm method, rhythm section, rhythm stick, rhythm, biological, rhythm-and-blues, rhythmic, rhythmic gymnastics, rhythmical, rhythmically, rhythmicity
Origin of rhythm-and-blues
An Americanism dating back to 1945–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for rhythm and blues
rhythm and blues
noun
(functioning as singular) any of various kinds of popular music derived from or influenced by the bluesAbbreviation: R & B
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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