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contradance

 - 4 dictionary results

con⋅tra⋅dance

  [kon-truh-dans, -dahns]
Use contradance in a Sentence
–noun
contredanse.

con⋅tre⋅danse

  [kon-truh-dans, -dahns; Fr. kawn-truhdahns]
–noun, plural -dans⋅es  [-dan-siz, -dahn-; Fr. -dahns] .
1. a variation of the quadrille in which the dancers face each other.
2. a piece of music suitable for such a dance.
Also, contradance.

Origin:
1795–1805; < F, equiv. to contre- counter- + danse dance, misrendering of E country-dance, by assoc. with the characteristic arrangement of dancers in rows facing each other
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To contradance
con·tra·dance or con·tra·danse   (kŏn'trə-dāns')   
n.  Variants of contredanse.
con·tre·danse also con·tre·dance or con·tra·dance or con·tra·danse   (kŏn'trə-dāns')   
n.  

  1. A folk dance performed in two lines with the partners facing each other.

  2. The music for a contredanse.


[French, alteration (influenced by French contre-, opposite, and from Latin contrā-, contra-) of English country-dance.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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