Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Irregularity in the force or rhythm of the heartbeat.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In pathology, irregularity. Also spelled arhythmia.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An irregular heartbeat.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an abnormal rate of muscle contractions in the heart

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin, from Greek arruthmiā, lack of rhythm, from arruthmos, unrhythmical : a-, without; see a– + rhuthmos, rhythm; see rhythm.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ἄρρυθμος (arruthmos), via New Latin arrythmia.

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Examples

  • "The term arrhythmia refers to any change from the normal sequence of electrical impulses, causing abnormal heart rhythms.

    Auburn Journal - Top Stories 2010

  • (An arrhythmia is an irregular heart beat caused by a problem with the heart's built-in electrical system.)

    Heart Palpitations 2009

  • Multaq was approved for short-term arrhythmia lasting less than six months.

    NYT > Home Page By DUFF WILSON 2011

  • Multaq was approved for short-term arrhythmia lasting less than six months.

    NYT > Home Page By DUFF WILSON 2011

  • Multaq was approved for short-term arrhythmia lasting less than six months.

    NYT > Home Page By DUFF WILSON 2011

  • Based on the results of these tests, the pediatric cardiologist will determine whether your child has an arrhythmia, which is an irregular heart beat caused by a problem with the heart's built-in electrical system.

    Heart Palpitations 2009

  • The only way it could affect your heart, and even this is a stretch, is if you peed so much that you lost too many electrolytes and your heart went into arrhythmia, which is not what happened here.

    David Steffen's quest for publication and world domination: Movie Review of X-Men origins: Wolverine David Steffen 2009

  • The only way it could affect your heart, and even this is a stretch, is if you peed so much that you lost too many electrolytes and your heart went into arrhythmia, which is not what happened here.

    Archive 2009-06-01 David Steffen 2009

  • BLAKEY: Again, the American College of Cardiology says that these defibrillators are 99 percent effective at avoiding sudden death from arrhythmia, which is what apparent the doctors believe the vice president is suffering from.

    CNN Transcript Jun 30, 2001 2001

  • "I think she got such a shock over Portia's death that her heart went into a dangerous arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat, and she didn't recover," said Mrs Sugliano, who also lost her father in December last year.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

Comments

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  • noun. Any disturbance in the rhythm of a pirate's heartbeat.

    January 3, 2007

  • Please note: This word is not spelled E-R-Y-T-H-E-M-A.

    January 23, 2010

  • Sweet dreams are not made of these...

    January 23, 2010

  • Who am I to disagree?

    January 24, 2010

  • I travel the world and the seven seas...

    January 24, 2010

  • Everybody. Are looking for these.

    January 24, 2010

  • Some of them want to use you.

    January 24, 2010

  • Some of them want to get used by you.

    January 25, 2010

  • Some of them want to misspell things.

    January 25, 2010

  • Some of them want to be misspelled.

    January 27, 2010