Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day cadence
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Mar 24, 2026 A lively look at the many faces of rhythmic flow in speech, music, and nature. Short readings show cadence in auctioneering and birdsong. A brief trip through Medieval Latin roots links cadence to cadenza and the Latin cadere. Playful appreciation of how language rises and falls.
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Cadence Describes Rhythmic Flow In Sound And Speech
- Cadence describes rhythmic patterns in sound, action, or speech that create a steady flow.
- Peter Sokolowski ties cadence to both musical verse and the rising-and-falling of a speaker's voice using clear linguistic examples.
Auctioneer Cadence Drives Bidding Momentum
- A Rolling Stone auction example shows cadence guiding audience behavior during bidding.
- The fast-talking auctioneer's familiar cadence prompted paddles to shoot up as bids climbed into four- and five-figure ranges.
Cadence Connects Nature Music And Poetry
- Cadence extends beyond deliberate speech to natural sounds like birdsong and musical terms such as cadenza.
- Sokolowski traces the word from Middle English and Medieval Latin cadencia meaning rhythm in verse, linking nature and music.