counterpoint rhythm

noun

: rhythm in poetry including so much metrical inversion that the prevailing cadence ceases at times to prevail and so that a complex rhythm results from the concomitance of the basic cadence with its inversion
if … reversal is repeated in two feet running … it … is … the superinducing … of a new rhythm upon the old … [so that] two rhythms are in some measure running at once … and this is counterpoint rhythmG. M. Hopkins

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Dictionary Entries Near counterpoint rhythm

Cite this Entry

“Counterpoint rhythm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpoint%20rhythm. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!