tea dance

noun

A late afternoon or early evening dance, typically with a live orchestra (often referred to as a palm court orchestra) playing light classical music.

“Since the 1970s, gay-oriented tea dances have been popular with the gay community.”

First used early 20th c.
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Meanings

nountea dance (plural tea dances)

plural tea dances · alternative T-dance · alternative T dance

  1. datedA late afternoon or early evening dance, typically with a live orchestra (often referred to as a palm court orchestra) playing light classical music.First known use early 20th c.

    Since the 1970s, gay-oriented tea dances have been popular with the gay community.

  2. CanadaUSAny late afternoon or early evening dance, especially one similar to nightclub dancing that would usually be held later at night.

Translations

French thé dansant
  • thé dansantlate afternoon or early evening dance
Persian ته دانسان
  • ته دانسان (te-dânsân)late afternoon or early evening dance
Cite this entry
APA

tea dance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20dance

MLA

“tea dance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20dance. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tea dance,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tea%20dance.

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