French word

cadence

Pronunciation

IPA/kadɑ̃s/

Meaning

  • feminine nounpace

Example

Elle a une cadence de travail rapide.

She works at a fast pace.

Illustration for cadence (pace)

More examples

Le métronome donne la cadence de la pièce.

The metronome sets the tempo of the piece.

Core concept

A steady stream of repeated movements or sounds, with attention to how fast it proceeds.

Common phrases

  • tenir la cadence

    maintain the pace

  • à cadence régulière

    at a steady pace

  • une cadence élevée

    at a fast pace

Similar words

rythme: The steady pace of actions or events that repeat regularly.
tempo: The rate at which music or speech unfolds.
vitesse: The rate at which someone or something moves or acts.
allure: The speed conveyed by a person's gait or running style.

Definition in French

Vitesse ou rythme régulier qui caractérise une action, une marche, un travail ou une suite de sons.

Word origin

French cadence came through Italian cadenza from Latin cadentia, "a falling," and its musical sense led to the broader idea of a measured rate.

Usage tips

  • In French, tenir la cadence means to keep the same pace and is useful for describing coordinated work or movement.

Other meanings

  • temponoun
  • rhythmnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • cadencerset the rhythmverb
  • cadencérhythmicadjective

Word lists with this word