What does "tatum" mean?
The shortest statistically significant time interval between successive notes in a rhythmic phrase or a musical piece.
Tatum
/ˈteɪtəm/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The shortest statistically significant time interval between successive notes in a rhythmic phrase or a musical piece.
- Grammar: tatum is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: beat, subdivision, tick, time unit.
- Useful contrasts: long duration.
- Usage evidence: Under his mother's tutelage, Eldar quickly progressed to playing intricate jazz pieces by pianists Bill Evans and Art Tatum.
How to use "tatum"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tatum" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tatum" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tatum" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tatum" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "tatum" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "beat" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "tatum", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The shortest statistically significant time interval between successive notes in a rhythmic phrase or a musical piece.
"In general, the music meter contains a nested grouping of pulses called metrical levels, where pulses on higher levels are subsets of the lower level pulses; the most salient level is known as the beat, and the lowest level is termed the tatum."
Proper Noun
- 1 A habitational surname from Old English.
"He had done so much to take his game to the next level, but it didn’t seem to matter. Jayson Tatum just couldn’t hit a shot."
- 2 A male given name transferred from the surname.
"By the time a letter from Marcy finally came, explaining that the entire time she had been living on the South Side in a Negro neighborhood near the university, and that she had a son whom she'd named Tatum Kubiac—"Tatum" after a famous jazz pianist—it seemed to make little difference."
- 3 A female given name transferred from the surname.
"The youngest ever Oscar-winner is an actress called Tatum O'Neal, who was ten when she won Best Supporting Act for the film Paper Moon (1973)."
- 4 A village in Cameroon.
- 5 A town in New Mexico.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A town in South Carolina.
- 7 A city in Panola County and Rusk County, Texas, named after settlers Albert and Mary Tatum.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
long duration
Example
"Under his mother's tutelage, Eldar quickly progressed to playing intricate jazz pieces by pianists Bill Evans and Art Tatum."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tatum"?
Common synonyms include: beat, subdivision, tick, time unit.
How do you use "tatum" in a sentence?
Under his mother's tutelage, Eldar quickly progressed to playing intricate jazz pieces by pianists Bill Evans and Art Tatum.
How do you pronounce "tatum"?
Pronounced /ˈteɪtəm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Tatham, from Old English Tāta, a personal name of unknown meaning + hām.
Etymology 2
Coined by American computer scientist Jeffrey A. Bilmes in 1993, initially as a blend of temporal + atom, but deliberately changed from tatom to tatum to honor master jazz pianist Art Tatum, who was known for his exceptional celerity.