rhythm

rhythm [rith′əm]

n.

[< Fr or L: Fr rythme < L rhythmus < Gr rhythmos, measure, measured motion < base of rheein, to flow: see STREAM]

1.

a) flow, movement, procedure, etc. characterized by basically regular recurrence of elements or features, as beat, or accent, in alternation with opposite or different elements or features [the rhythm of speech, dancing, the heartbeat, etc.]

b) such recurrence; pattern of flow or movement

2. an effect of ordered movement in a work of art, literature, drama, etc. attained through patterns in the timing, spacing, repetition, accenting, etc. of the elements

3. Biol. a periodic occurrence in living organisms of specific physiological changes, as the menstrual cycle, or a seasonal or daily variation in some activity, as sleep or feeding, in response to geophysical factors

4. Music

a) basically regular recurrence of grouped strong and weak beats, or heavily and lightly accented tones, in alternation; arrangement of successive tones, usually in measures, according to their relative accentuation and duration

b) the form or pattern of this [waltz rhythm]: cf. TIME, TEMPO, METER¹

5. Prosody

a) basically regular recurrence of grouped stressed and unstressed, long and short, or high-pitched and low-pitched syllables in alternation; arrangement of successive syllables, as in metrical units (feet) or cadences, according to their relative stress, quantity, or pitch

b) the form or pattern of this [iambic rhythm]

rhythmic [rith′mik]

adj.

rhythmical

rhythmically

adv.