cadence

Where does the word "cadence" come from? It comes from Latin cadere, passing through Vulgar Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Cadence’s story begins in Latin: cadere meant “to fall.” The root of 'cascade', 'decadent' and 'chance'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Vulgar Latin as cadentia. A falling, a rhythmic pattern, from cadere. From there it passed into Old French as cadence by medieval. Carried into French for a rhythmic flow of sound. It reached English by 1300s as cadence. Settled as the English word for a rhythmic sequence of sounds. Today, cadence means a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds, especially in speech or music.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient cadere "to fall", the root of 'cascade', 'decadent' and 'chance'.
2. Stage 2 · Vulgar Latin · medieval cadentia "a falling, a rhythmic pattern", a falling, a rhythmic pattern, from cadere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval cadence "a rhythmic flow of sound", carried into French for a rhythmic flow of sound.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s cadence "a rhythmic sequence of sounds or movements", settled as the English word for a rhythmic sequence of sounds.