syncopation

[ sing-kuh-pey-shuh n, sin- ]
/ ˌsɪŋ kəˈpeɪ ʃən, ˌsɪn- /

noun

Music. a shifting of the normal accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats.
something, as a rhythm or a passage of music, that is syncopated.
Also called counterpoint, counterpoint rhythm. Prosody. the use of rhetorical stress at variance with the metrical stress of a line of verse, as the stress on and and of in Come praise Colonus' horses and come praise/The wine-dark of the wood's intricacies.
Grammar. syncope.

Origin of syncopation

1525–35; < Medieval Latin syncopātiōn- (stem of syncopātiō), equivalent to Late Latin syncopāt(us) (see syncopate) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM syncopation

non·syn·co·pa·tion, noun

Words nearby syncopation

synclonus, syncom, syncopal, syncopate, syncopated, syncopation, syncope, syncopic, syncretism, syncretize, syncrisis

Definition for counterpoint-rhythm (2 of 2)

counterpoint
[ koun-ter-point ]
/ ˈkaʊn tərˌpɔɪnt /

noun

Music. the art of combining melodies.
Music. the texture resulting from the combining of individual melodic lines.
a melody composed to be combined with another melody.
Also called counterpoint rhythm. Prosody. syncopation(def 2).
any element that is juxtaposed and contrasted with another.

verb (used with object)

to emphasize or clarify by contrast or juxtaposition.

Origin of counterpoint

1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French contrepoint, translation of Medieval Latin ( cantus) contrāpūnctus literally, (song) pointed or pricked against, referring to notes of an accompaniment written over or under the notes of a plainsong. See counter-, point

British Dictionary definitions for counterpoint-rhythm (1 of 2)

counterpoint
/ (ˈkaʊntəˌpɔɪnt) /

noun

verb

(tr) to set in contrast

Other words from counterpoint

Related adjective: contrapuntal

Word Origin for counterpoint

C15: from Old French contrepoint, from contre- counter- + point dot, note in musical notation, that is, an accompaniment set against the notes of a melody

British Dictionary definitions for counterpoint-rhythm (2 of 2)

syncopation
/ (ˌsɪŋkəˈpeɪʃən) /

noun

music
  1. the displacement of the usual rhythmic accent away from a strong beat onto a weak beat
  2. a note, beat, rhythm, etc, produced by syncopation
another word for syncope (def. 2)

Cultural definitions for counterpoint-rhythm

counterpoint

The use of two or more melodies at the same time in a piece of music; it was an important part of baroque music. Certain composers, such as Johann Sebastian Bach, have been especially skillful at counterpoint.