rhythm

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 section3 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 symbol4: a regularly recurrent quantitative change in a variable biological process <a circadian rhythm> — compare biorhythm5: the effect created by the elements in a play, movie, or novel that relate to the temporal development of the action6: rhythm method

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