breakbeat

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noun

A form of syncopated rhythm prominent in much African music.

Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounbreakbeat (plural breakbeats)

plural breakbeats

  1. countableentertainmentA form of syncopated rhythm prominent in much African music.

    A cornucopia of hyped-up breakbeats, keyboard squiggles, surf grooves, dancehall stylee, dumb loops and much atonal shouting along, Far In dares you not to smile.

    2001, CMJ New Music Monthly
  2. uncountableentertainmentA genre of electronic dance music based on such syncopated rhythms.

Origin

From break + beat.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

breakbeat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breakbeat

MLA

“breakbeat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breakbeat. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “breakbeat,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/breakbeat.

Source: breakbeat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.