Word of the Day

: July 4, 2010

cadence

noun KAY-dunss

What It Means

1 : a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds (as in language)

2 : a musical chord sequence moving to a harmonic close or point of rest

3 : the modulated and rhythmic recurrence of a sound especially in nature

cadence in Context

"She sang, and her voice flowed in a rich cadence, swelling or dying away, like a nightingale of the woods." (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818)

Did You Know?

Falling into the hands of English speakers in the 14th century, "cadence" derives via Middle English and Old Italian from the Latin verb "cadere," meaning "to fall." ("Cadere" can be found in the history of many common English words, including "decay," "coincide," and "accident"). We most often hear "cadence" used in contexts pertaining to voice or music -- it might refer to the familiar way in which someone speaks, or the rhythms employed by a rap artist, or the rising and falling notes of a bird’s call. "Cadenza," the Old Italian word that factors into the history of "cadence," has its own place in English as well, usually referring to a brilliant musical flourish played before closing out an aria.