Main Entry: rhythm

Pronunciation: \ˈri-thəm\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French rhythme, from Latin rhythmus, from Greek rhythmos, probably from rhein to flow — more at stream

Date: 1560

1 a : an ordered recurrent alternation of strong and weak elements in the flow of sound and silence in speech b : a particular example or form of rhythm <iambic rhythm>
2 a : the aspect of music comprising all the elements (as accent, meter, and tempo) that relate to forward movement b : a characteristic rhythmic pattern <rumba rhythm>; also : ¹meter 2 c : the group of instruments in a band supplying the rhythm —called also rhythm section
3 a : movement, fluctuation, or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements <the rhythms of country life> b : the repetition in a literary work of phrase, incident, character type, or symbol
4 : a regularly recurrent quantitative change in a variable biological process <a circadian rhythm> — compare biorhythm
5 : the effect created by the elements in a play, movie, or novel that relate to the temporal development of the action
6 : rhythm method