rhythm
RIHTH-m
Rhythm (noun) means a regular, repeating pattern of beats or sounds, especially in music or speech. Example: “The dancers moved to the lively rhythm of the drums.”
noun
1
A regular, repeating pattern of beats or sounds, especially in music or speech.
"The dancers moved to the lively rhythm of the drums."
"The drummer kept a steady rhythm throughout the song."
"She found her rhythm halfway through the marathon."
2
A regular pattern in how something happens over time.
"The rhythm of the seasons shapes life on the farm."
"Night shifts disturbed her sleep rhythm for several weeks."
"He settled into a comfortable daily rhythm of work and exercise."
How to use rhythm
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA repeated, regular pattern of beats, sounds, or activity.
Common pairings
keep the rhythm
sense of rhythm
daily rhythm
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Word forms
- Plural
- rhythms
- Third person singular
- rhythms
- Past tense
- rhythmed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The dancers moved to the lively _____ of the drums.
Etymology
Coined in English in 1557 from Latin rhythmus, from Greek rhythmos ("measured flow, movement"), from rheo ("to flow").
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “rhythm” mean?
The word “rhythm” means a regular, repeating pattern of beats or sounds, especially in music or speech. In plain terms, a repeated, regular pattern of beats, sounds, or activity.
How do you pronounce “rhythm”?
“Rhythm” is pronounced RIHTH-m (/ˈɹɪð.m̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “rhythm” in a sentence?
Here is “rhythm” used in a sentence: “The drummer kept a steady rhythm throughout the song.”
What is another word for “rhythm”?
Words with a similar meaning to “rhythm” include meter, metre and prosody.
What part of speech is “rhythm”?
“Rhythm” is a noun.
Where does the word “rhythm” come from?
The word “rhythm” dates back to around 1557 and comes from Latin. Coined in English in 1557 from Latin rhythmus, from Greek rhythmos ("measured flow, movement"), from rheo ("to flow").
Is “rhythm” a common word?
“Rhythm” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “rhythm” have?
“Rhythm” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a regular, repeating pattern of beats or sounds, especially in music or speech.
What is the difference between rhythm and beat?
The beat is the steady underlying pulse of a piece of music — what you tap your foot to. Rhythm is the pattern of long and short sounds arranged over that pulse, so two songs can share the same beat but have completely different rhythms.
What is the difference between rhythm and tempo?
Tempo is the speed of the music — how fast or slow the beat moves. Rhythm is the repeating pattern of the sounds themselves, which stays recognizable whether you play it quickly or slowly.
Why is rhythm so hard to spell?
Rhythm is spelled r-h-y-t-h-m, with no standard vowel letter — the y does the vowel work. The unusual look comes from its Greek origin, rhythmos, which also explains the rh- beginning found in other Greek borrowings such as rhetoric and rhinoceros.
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