rigadoon

[ rig-uh-doon ]

noun

1. a lively dance, formerly popular, for one couple, characterized by a jumping step and usually in quick duple meter.
2. a piece of music for this dance or in its rhythm.

rigadoon

/ ˌrɪɡəˈduːn; riɡodɔ̃ /

noun

1. an old Provençal couple dance, light and graceful, in lively duple time
2. a piece of music for or in the rhythm of this dance

Word History and Origins

Origin of rigadoon¹

1685–95; < French rigaudon, perhaps from name Rigaud

Word History and Origins

Origin of rigadoon¹

C17: from French, allegedly from its inventor Rigaud , a dancing master at Marseille

Example Sentences

An indignant captain looks like “he’d just been asked if he danced the rigadoon or played the hurdy-gurdy.”

From New York Times

She called it “a rigadoon of rascality, a bawled-out comic song of sex.”

From New York Times

Gore Vidal called his writing pornographic; Dorothy Parker claimed nobody could write a better novel than “The Ginger Man”—which she called “a rigadoon of rascality, a bawled-out comic song of sex”—unless that person was Donleavy himself.

From The New Yorker

Then we shall meet at Castle balls, and you shall lead me out for a rigadoon like a mere stranger.

From Project Gutenberg

As Doreen pictured, he had attended the Castle balls during the winter, and had led out his cousin for a turn of passepied or rigadoon without much sighing; had dutifully called on his mother when Shane was safe away, and had spent the rest of his time yawning over briefs for the behoof of Mr. Curran.

From Project Gutenberg