Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of musical tempo: "beats per minute" is a standard measurement indicating the speed or pace of a piece of music, calculated by counting the number of beats (the basic rhythmic unit) that occur within a sixty-second interval. It is often abbreviated as BPM.

Usage

• "Beats per minute" is used as a singular noun phrase to specify the tempo of music. It is commonly seen in musical notation, digital audio workstations, and when discussing exercise routines (e.g., heart rate or cadence, though the primary definition is musical).
• Example:
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Examples

• Noun:
  • The conductor set the metronome to 120 beats per minute for the allegro movement.
  • This techno track has a very high beats per minute, around 140.
  • Meditative music often has a slow beats per minute, sometimes below 60.

Advanced Usage

• "at [number] beats per minute": used to state a specific tempo.
  • The marching band practiced the routine at 110 beats per minute.
• In broader contexts, while "beats per minute" can describe heart rate or engine revolutions, its core definition in WordNet is musical tempo. These uses are analogous extensions of the same measurement concept.

Variants and Related Words

• BPM (n.): The standard abbreviation for "beats per minute."
  • The song's BPM is listed as 128.
• Tempo (n.): The speed at which a passage of music is played, often measured in BPM.
  • The tempo of the song gradually slows down.
• Metronome marking (n.): An indication of tempo, often given in BPM.
  • The metronome marking at the start of the score is "♩ = 72".

Synonyms

• Tempo: The rate of speed of a musical piece.
• Pace: The speed or rate at which something happens, often used interchangeably with tempo in music.

Related Phrases

• Beats per minute itself is a fixed noun phrase and does not form phrasal verbs. It can be part of larger descriptive phrases.
  • A pulse of 75 beats per minute is considered normal.

Related Idioms

• There are no specific idioms using the exact phrase "beats per minute." However, tempo-related idioms exist.
• To keep time: To maintain a steady rhythm or tempo.
  • The drummer's job is to keep time for the band.

Noun

1. the pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 seconds