tarantella

[ tar-uhn-tel-uh ]

noun
  1. a rapid, whirling southern Italian dance in very quick sextuple, originally quadruple, meter, usually performed by a single couple, and formerly supposed to be a remedy for tarantism.

  2. a piece of music either for the dance or in its rhythm.

Origin of tarantella

1
1775–85; <Italian, equivalent to Tarant(o) Taranto + -ella-elle

Words that may be confused with tarantella

Words Nearby tarantella

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How to use tarantella in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tarantella

tarantella

/ (ˌtærənˈtɛlə) /


noun
  1. a peasant dance from S Italy

  2. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance, in fast six-eight time

Origin of tarantella

1
C18: from Italian, from Taranto Taranto; associated with tarantism

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