rhythmic

[rith-mik]

adjective

1. of or relating to rhythm; showing a pattern of repeated sound or movement.

   I could tell by his slow, rhythmic breathing that he had fallen asleep.

2. Music.,  relating to or emphasizing a regular pattern of strong and weak beats.

   A strong, rhythmic violin accompaniment adds to the energy of the powerful solo voice.

3. characterized by measured or flowing movement, as in dancing.

   Her long-form figure skating routine showcased a graceful, rhythmic body motion, like the rolling waves of the sea.

4. relating to a person’s ability to recognize and produce a beat or pattern of measured movement, as in music or dance.

   He has a strong rhythmic sense, as shown by his complicated drum work on this album.

5. Art, Literature.,  using or showing the patterned repetition of a motif or formal element in the same or a modified form.

   Ancient storytelling used memory aids such as rhythmic parallel structures and closely related key words.

6. Prosody.,  relating to or making effective use of poetic meter.

   The quirky and humorous poems in this collection are a mixture of free and rhythmic lines.

7. Theater, Movies.,  having a measured or patterned effect of movement, tension, and emotion, as created by an alternation between dialogue and description, shorter and longer scenes or sentences, etc..

   With a masterful knack for rhythmic scene pacing, she explores a series of topics in this trio of short films about growing up.

noun

1. rhythmics.

rhythmic

/ ˈrɪðmɪk, ˈrɪðmɪkəl, rɪðˈmɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by rhythm, as in movement or sound; metrical, periodic, or regularly recurring

Other Word Forms

• rhythmically adverb
• hyperrhythmic adjective
• nonrhythmic adjective
• semirhythmic adjective
• unrhythmic adjective
• rhythmicity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhythmic¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin rhythmicus, from Greek rhythmikós; rhythm ( def. ), -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

That iteration started gently but grew exuberant, as Mr. Lloyd improvised phrases within and around an emphatic cross-cultural rhythmic conversation.

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People who have spent their entire lives surrounded by the constant rhythmic noise of the sea are suddenly met with silence.

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The study also revealed that amyloid plaques appeared to create new rhythmic patterns in genes that do not usually follow a daily cycle.

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Observing wolves’ long rhythmic strides, he was struck by their grace as they drifted “through the trees, reminiscent of the movement of water or of shadows.”

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But alongside its rhythmic bravado, reparto’s explicit language often veers into the dehumanizing and misogynistic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times