rhythm
RITH-uhm
/ˈrɪð.əm/
A strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound in time.
Emphasizes temporal placement, durations, and accents of beats rather than pitch.
The story behind the word. From Ancient Greek 'rhythmos', derived from 'rhein' (to flow). To the Greeks, rhythm represented the measured, flowing movement of time across dance, poetry, and song.
Word relationships
- beat: Beat refers to the individual pulse unit, whereas rhythm is the complete pattern built over time.
- meter: Meter is the underlying theoretical grid of accents, whereas rhythm is the actual musical pattern.
- arrhythmia: Arrhythmia refers to irregular, unpredictable, or disrupted temporal patterns.
Commonly confused with
- rhyme: Rhyme involves matching spoken word endings, while rhythm involves musical time patterns.
Word family
- rhythmic (adjective): Relating to or having a fluent, regular rhythm.
- rhythmically (adverb): In a rhythmic manner.
Collocations
- driving rhythm
- steady rhythm
- syncopated rhythm
Idioms & expressions
- find one's rhythm
Example sentences
- "The energetic rhythm of the drums compelled everyone on the dance floor to move." Dance performance
Memory hook
RHYTHM Has Your Two Hips Moving in time. The measured flow of pulses.
When not to use
Do not use to describe pitch height or tonal quality; rhythm pertains to time division.
Fun facts
- Human heartbeats naturally adjust toward musical rhythms playing at 60 to 80 beats per minute during relaxed listening.
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