Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rhythmic” come from?

Rhythmic derives from Ancient Greek ῥυθμικός, formed from ῥέω meaning "to flow" with the suffix -ικός, tracing to Proto-Indo-European srew- meaning "to flow."

rhythmic (English): Of or relating to rhythm; Characterized by...

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to rhythm; Characterized by...

Ancestry of “rhythmic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekῥυθμικός—
2Ancient Greekῥυθμόςa repeating, regular motion, vibration; measured...
3Ancient GreekῥέωI flow, stream, run, gush; I let flow, pour; I...
4Proto-Indo-Europeansrew-to flow, stream
5Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together

Words derived from “rhythmic”

  • rhythmicity
  • antidysrhythmic
  • isorhythmic
  • unrhythmic
  • nonrhythmic
  • arhythmic
  • eurhythmic
  • homorhythmic
  • dysrhythmic
  • autorhythmic
  • arhythmically
  • autorhythmicity
  • homorhythmically
  • counterrhythmic
  • idiorhythmic
  • isorhythmically
  • birhythmic
  • nonrhythmically
  • birhythmicity
  • panrhythmic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser- →