entrainment

entrainment /entrān″mənt/ [Fr, entrainer, to drag along] , 1. the synchronization of rhythmic cycles. For example, infants have been observed to move in time to the rhythms of adult speech but not to random noises or disconnected words or vowels. Entrainment is thought to be an essential factor in maternal-infant bonding. 2. a technique for identifying the slowest pacing necessary to terminate an arrhythmia, particularly atrial flutter.