Offbeat meaning

ôfbēt, ŏf-

Words form:

Frequency:

Offbeat is defined as a person or thing that doesn't conform to social norms.

An example of offbeat is a man wearing pink tights and a tutu riding his bike around in a typical suburban neighborhood.

adjective

Not conforming to the usual pattern or trend; unconventional, unusual, strange, etc.

adjective

With a strong, or primary, accent placed on beats that usually receive a weak, or secondary, accent.

adjective

(music) The beats not normally accented in a measure.

The congregation clapped along on the offbeat.

noun

(slang) An unconventional person, someone who does not follow the beat, who chooses not to conform.

noun

Unusual, unconventional, not ordinary.

He has such an offbeat sense of humor that hardly anyone finds his jokes amusing.

adjective

The definition of an offbeat is a beat in music that is not accented.

An example of offbeat is a beat played in a musical piece that you would not clap or tap your feet to because they are not major beats in the music.

noun

An unaccented beat in a measure.

noun

Not conforming to an ordinary type or pattern; unconventional.

Offbeat humor.

adjective

Any of the beats of a measure that have weak, or secondary, accents.

noun

Origin of offbeat

From off- +"Ž beat; not following the beat (e.g., of a drum that sounds out cadence)

From Wiktionary