rhythm

/ˈɹɪð.m̩/

//ˈɹɪð.m̩// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"rhythm" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rhythm” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,614 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,614
frequency rank, English
6
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

rhythm vs rhythms
86% similar
rhythm vs rhythmic
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for rhythm
PropertyValue
Headwordrhythm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɪð.m̩/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,614
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rhythm” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). rhythm lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for rhythm is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɪð.m̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,614 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for rhythm, with forms such as "hrythm", "rhhythm", and "rhtyhm". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "rhythms", "rhythmic", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First coined in 1557, from Latin rhythmus, from Ancient Greek ῥυθμός (rhuthmós, “any measured flow or movement, symmetry, rhythm”), from ῥέω (rhéō, “to flow, run, stream, gush”). The correct English form is rhythm, spelled R-H-Y-T-H-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.
  2. 2
    A specifically defined pattern of such variation.
  3. 3
    A flow, repetition or regularity.
  4. 4
    The tempo or speed of a beat, song or repetitive event.
  5. 5
    The musical instruments which provide rhythm (mainly; not or less melody) in a musical ensemble.
  6. 6
    A regular quantitative change in a variable (notably natural) process.
  7. 7
    Controlled repetition of a phrase, incident or other element as a stylistic figure in literature and other narrative arts; the effect it creates.
  8. 8
    A person's natural feeling for rhythm.

Etymology

First coined in 1557, from Latin rhythmus, from Ancient Greek ῥυθμός (rhuthmós, “any measured flow or movement, symmetry, rhythm”), from ῥέω (rhéō, “to flow, run, stream, gush”).

Synonyms

metermetreprosodyrhythm section

This word in other languages

ritmo(Español)rythme(Français)Rhythmus(Deutsch)ritmo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hrythm,rhhythm,rhtyhm,rhyhtm,rhythhm,rhythmm,rhytmh,rhytthm,rhyythm,rrhythm,ryhthm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of rhythm - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

hrythm2rhhythm1rhtyhm2rhyhtm2rhythhm1rhythmm1rhytmh2rhytthm1
Edit distance from "rhythm"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "rhythm"?
"rhythm" is spelled R-H-Y-T-H-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɪð.m̩/.
What does "rhythm" mean?
As a noun, "rhythm" means: The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.
What words are commonly confused with "rhythm"?
"rhythm" is commonly confused with "rhythms", "rhythmic". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rhythm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rhythm" is /ˈɹɪð.m̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "rhythm"?
First coined in 1557, from Latin rhythmus, from Ancient Greek ῥυθμός (rhuthmós, “any measured flow or movement, symmetry, rhythm”), from ῥέω (rhéō, “to flow, run, stream, gush”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “rhythm”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-H-Y-T-H-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹɪð.m̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “rhythms” - see the side-by-side comparison. rhythm vs rhythms
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list