noun Also cadency.

  1. rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words: the cadence of language.
  2. (in free verse) a rhythmic pattern that is nonmetrically structured.
  3. the beat, rate, or measure of any rhythmic movement: The chorus line danced in rapid cadence.
  6. the general modulation of the voice.

verb (used with object), ca·denced, ca·denc·ing.

  1. to make rhythmical.

noun plural -dences or -dencies

  1. the beat or measure of something rhythmic
  2. a fall in the pitch of the voice, as at the end of a sentence
  3. modulation of the voice; intonation
  4. a rhythm or rhythmic construction in verse or prose; measure
  5. the close of a musical phrase or section

late 14c., “flow of rhythm in verse or music,” from Middle French cadence, from Old Italian cadenza “conclusion of a movement in music,” literally “a falling,” from Vulgar Latin *cadentia, from neuter plural of Latin cadens, present participle of cadere “to fall” (see case (n.1)). In 16c., sometimes used literally for “an act of falling.” A doublet of chance (n.).

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