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Cadence: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Cadence noun. The rise and fall of a voice, or the rhythm of a piece of speech or music.
How to say it
KAY-dunss/ˈkeɪd(ə)ns/
2 syllables, stressed on the first (KAY).
Meanings
- The rise and fall of a voice, or the rhythm of a piece of speech or music.
- In music, a sequence of chords that brings a phrase to a close.
Cadence in a sentence
He reads poetry with the slow cadence of a late-night radio host.
The symphony's final cadence lands so softly that nobody claps for a moment.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- rhythm
- lilt
- intonation
- beat
Where cadence comes from
From Latin cadere, to fall, by way of Italian and French.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The symphony's final _____ lands so softly that nobody claps for a moment.
- montage
- sfumato
- cadence
Show the answer
cadence: The symphony's final cadence lands so softly that nobody claps for a moment.