Arrhythmical

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Devoid of a steady rhythm or regular beat, this term also refers to the condition of having an irregular heart rhythm while illustrating an erratic or unpredictable sequence of events
2. Not exhibiting a consistent or predictable pattern in timing ; pertaining to an abnormal or uneven heartbeat rhythm
3. Displaying an unsteady or uneven beat or flow ; relating to a heart that beats with irregular intervals

Etymology: "Arrhythmical" is an alternative form of "arrhythmic," and the two share a Greek core. The root is "rhythmos," meaning measured motion or proportion, which itself came from "rhein," to flow. The Greek prefix "a-" means "without," so the word literally describes something without measured flow. The adjective ending "-ical" was added on top of the base form, the same pattern seen in pairs like "rhythmic" and "rhythmical." English speakers used the longer form and the shorter form interchangeably, so the two spellings carry the same sense. In medicine the term describes a heartbeat that loses its regular timing, though the broader sense of any uneven pulse or flow is older and more general.

Synonyms: irregular, unrhythmic, unsteady, inconsistent, disordered

Antonyms: rhythmic, steady, regular, consistent, harmonious