country-dance

noun

Used as a generic name for many native British dances, especially where partners face each other in a long line.

Similar
country dancingcontredansecontra dansecontradance
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Meanings

nouncountry-dance (plural country-dances)

plural country-dances

  1. Used as a generic name for many native British dances, especially where partners face each other in a long line.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna type of folk dance in which couples are arranged in sets or face one another in a line

Similar
country dancingcontredansecontra dansecontradance
Broader
folk dancingfolk dance

verbperform a contradance

Similar
contradancecontredansecontra danse
Broader
dancetrip the light fantastictrip the light fantastic toe
Also see
contredansecountry dancing

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From French contre-dance, from French contre (“against”) + danse (“dance”). Erroneously thought to be from country + dance.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

country-dance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/country-dance

MLA

“country-dance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/country-dance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “country-dance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/country-dance.

Source: country-dance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.