nautch

[ nawch ]

noun

1. (in India) an exhibition of dancing by professional dancing girls.
2. Also called nautch dance. a sinuous Oriental dance resembling the cooch.

nautch

/ nɔːtʃ /

noun

1. 1. an intricate traditional Indian dance performed by professional dancing girls
   2. ( as modifier )

      a nautch girl

Word History and Origins

Origin of nautch¹

1800–10; < Hindi nāch < Prakrit nachcha dancing

Word History and Origins

Origin of nautch¹

C18: from Hindi nāc, from Sanskrit nrtya, from nrtyati he acts or dances

Example Sentences

The dancing style is known as “nautch,” and is a sophisticated art form that arose out of the Muslim Mughal empire and peaked in the mid-19th century.

From New York Times

His eyebrows, however, were as seductively arched as a nautch girl’s, his eyelashes so thick he might have been wearing mascara.

From Literature

The performance was like an Indian nautch run mad.

From Project Gutenberg

After dinner we adjourned to the Durbar Hall again to witness from the galleries a nautch; and real Indian dancing is a spectacle of which the European soon has his fill.

From Project Gutenberg

Now that those prosperous days are gone by, and the big English officials do not condescend to attend the nautch, the amount has been reduced to fifty Rupees or a little more.

From Project Gutenberg