rhythmic

American  

[rith-mik] / ˈrɪð mɪk /

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.

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noun

1. rhythmics.

rhythmic British  

/ ˈrɪðmɪk, ˈrɪðmɪkəl, rɪðˈmɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of rhythmic

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

Example Sentences

I think it’s the rhythmic click of the needles, the push and pull of the yarn.

From Literature

The rhythmic movement and sore muscles that come from slowly stirring polenta, the way the earthy, nourishing aroma slowly fills the room as the grains start to thicken.

From Salon

A simple example is a playground swing, where timed pushes cause the swing to rise higher even though the motion remains rhythmic.

From Science Daily

In a 2019 study, Lewis and her colleagues found that this fluid moves in a rhythmic pattern as people sleep, closely linked to shifts in brain wave activity.

From Science Daily

From vocalisations to food intake, social interactions to rhythmic beating on trees, known as buttress drumming, they note down everything.

From Barron's