microrhythm

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noun

Minute, barely-perceptible variation in timing of musical events that contribute to expressivity.

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

nounmicrorhythm (uncountable)
  1. uncountableentertainmentMinute, barely-perceptible variation in timing of musical events that contribute to expressivity.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ser-?
  6. Proto-Indo-European*srew-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*sru-dʰ-mo-s
  8. Proto-Hellenic*hrutʰmós
  9. Ancient Greekῥῠθμός (rhŭthmós)
  10. Latinrhythmus
  11. Englishrhythm
  12. Englishmicrorhythm

From micro- + rhythm.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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