farandole

American  

[far-uhn-dohl, fa-rahn-dawl] / ˈfær ənˌdoʊl, fa rɑ̃ˈdɔl /

noun

plural

farandoles

1. a lively dance, of Provençal origin, in which all the dancers join hands and execute various figures.

2. the music for this dance.

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farandole British  

/ ˈfærənˌdəʊl, farɑ̃dɔl /

noun

1. a lively dance in six-eight or four-four time from Provence

2. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

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Etymology

Origin of farandole

1860–65; < French < Provençal farandoulo, perhaps a conflation of b ( a ) randello with same sense, derivative of brandà to move, rock (< Germanic; see brandish) and flandrinà to dawdle, ultimately derivative of Flandres Flanders

Example Sentences

After the lights went up, Lacroix joined the crowds and danced the farandole, the heels-up peasant dance of Provence.

From Time Magazine Archive

Said Archbishop Joachim Ndayen of the Central African Republic: "We didn't come thousands of kilometers to dance a farandole."

From Time Magazine Archive

It was a sort of enormous quadrille with numerous figures and farandole, while one sat on a chair between the figures, as at a cotillon.

From His Hour by Glyn, Elinor

When this rite was ended, the music shifted to a livelier key and straightway a farandole was formed.

From The Christmas Kalends of Provence And Some Other Provençal Festivals by Janvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone)

They all danced the farandole until they dropped.

From Letters from my Windmill by Daudet, Alphonse