The measure or beat of movement, as in dancing or marching.
A falling inflection of the voice, as at the end of a sentence.
General inflection or modulation of the voice.
Music A progression of chords moving to a harmonic close, point of rest, or sense of resolution.
[Middle English, from Old French *cadence, from Old Italian cadenza, from Vulgar Latin *cadentia, a falling, from Latin cadēns, cadent-, present participle of cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots.] ca'denced adj.