counterrhythm

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noun

A rhythm that complements another rhythm.

OriginEnglish rhythm ← Latin rhythmus ← Ancient Greek ῥῠθμός (rhŭthmós) →
Scrabble 26
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Meanings

nouncounterrhythm (plural counterrhythms)

plural counterrhythms

  1. A rhythm that complements another rhythm.

    Sometimes he amplifies the bass line by doubling it; sometimes he adds scabrous counterrhythms and countermelodies; sometimes he just makes cool noises.

    2007 July 30, Kelefa Sanneh, “This Hip-Hop Future Looks Like Yesterday”, in New York Times

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Proto-Italic*komteros
  6. Proto-Italic*komterād
  7. Latincontrā
  8. Old Frenchcontre-
  9. Anglo-Normancountre-
  10. Middle Englishcounter-
  11. Englishcounter-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*ser-?
  13. Proto-Indo-European*srew-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*sru-dʰ-mo-s
  15. Proto-Hellenic*hrutʰmós
  16. Ancient Greekῥῠθμός (rhŭthmós)
  17. Latinrhythmus
  18. Englishrhythm
  19. Englishcounterrhythm

From counter- + rhythm.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

counterrhythm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterrhythm

MLA

“counterrhythm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterrhythm. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “counterrhythm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterrhythm.

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