downbeat

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word downbeat. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word downbeat, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say downbeat in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word downbeat you have here. The definition of the word downbeat will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofdownbeat, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology 1

down +‎ beat

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdaʊnbiːt/
  • (file)

Noun

downbeat (plural downbeats)

  1. (music) The accented beat at the beginning of a bar (indicated by a conductor with a downward stroke).
Related terms
Translations

Etymology 2

Earlier downbeaten, from the phrasal verb beat down

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /daʊnˈbiːt/
  • (file)

Adjective

downbeat (comparative more downbeat, superlative most downbeat)

  1. Sad or pessimistic.
    He sounded downbeat when asked about his future plans.
  2. Cautiously optimistic.
    She carried herself with a quiet downbeat grace.
Antonyms
Translations

Anagrams