rhythm section

American

noun

Music.

band instruments, as drums or bass, that supply rhythm rather than harmony or melody.
the group of players in a band who play such instruments.

rhythm section British

noun

those instruments in a band or group (usually piano, double bass, and drums) whose prime function is to supply the rhythm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rhythm section

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Lowell “Sly” Dunbar, the Jamaican drummer whose work in the rhythm section of Sly and Robbie built the backbone of modern reggae, has died.

From Los Angeles Times

In his teens, Dunbar met bassist Robbie Shakespeare and formed the rhythm section of the Revolutionaries, who became regular session musicians at the famed Channel One recording studio.

From BBC

Radiohead's secret sauce has always been their rhythm section - who manage to locate sinewy, danceable grooves even when presented with their bandmate's most challenging material.

From BBC

The rhythm section remained taut and rigid—live musicians mimicking the curt slap of hip-hop.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The rhythm section was wild and loud. I was immediately grabbed.”

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023