rhythm

First coined in 1557, from Latin rhythmus, from Ancient Greek ῥυθμός (rhuthmós, “any measured flow or movement, symmetry, rhythm”), from ῥέω (rhéō, “I flow, run, stream, gush”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪð.əm/, [ˈɹɪð.m̩]

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  • Rhymes: -ɪðəm
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪθ.əm/

rhythm (countable and uncountable, plural rhythms)

1. The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.

   Dance to the rhythm of the music.

2. A specifically defined pattern of such variation.

   Most dances have a rhythm as distinctive as the Iambic verse in poetry

3. A flow, repetition or regularity.

   Once you get the rhythm of it, the job will become easy.

4. The tempo or speed of a beat, song or repetitive event.

   We walked with a quick, even rhythm.

5. The musical instruments which provide rhythm (mainly; not or less melody) in a musical ensemble.

   The Baroque term basso continuo is virtually equivalent to rhythm

6. A regular quantitative change in a variable (notably natural) process.

   The rhythm of the seasons dominates agriculture as well as wildlife

7. Controlled repetition of a phrase, incident or other element as a stylistic figure in literature and other narrative arts; the effect it creates.

   The running gag is a popular rhythm in motion pictures and theater comedy

8. A person's natural feeling for rhythm.

   That girl's got rhythm, watch her dance!

• meter / metre
• prosody
• (instruments providing rhythm) rhythm section