folk dance

American  

noun

1. a dance that originated among, and has been transmitted through, the common people.

2. a piece of music for such a dance.

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folk dance British  

noun

1. any of various traditional rustic dances often originating from festivals or rituals

2. a piece of music composed for such a dance

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verb

1. to perform a folk dance

Other Word Forms

• folk dancer noun
• folk dancing noun

Etymology

Origin of folk dance

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

This 1898 divertissement by Marius Petipa, to the melodious music of Alexander Glazunov, is accented with moves shaped by Hungarian folk dance and has long been a staple of various classical ballet companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Arm in arm, young people of different faiths perform the dabke, an Arabic folk dance, in the Italian port of Ostia, elated by a visit from Pope Leo XIV.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

Morris dancing is a form of traditional English folk dance that takes a variety of styles depending on where the group has come from.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2024

There are large group numbers that suggest the groundedness and rhythms of folk dance, but the steps are not drawn from the Mexican folk tradition.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2023

We take folk dance together and our families are close.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio