tap dance

¹

noun

1. a dance in which the rhythm or rhythmical variation is audibly tapped out with the toe or heel by a dancer wearing shoes with special hard soles or with taps.

tap-dance

²

[ tap-dans, -dahns ]

verb (used without object)

, tap-danced, tap-danc·ing.

1. to perform a tap dance.

tap dance

noun

1. a step dance in which the performer wears shoes equipped with taps that make a rhythmic sound on the stage as he dances

verb

1. to perform a tap dance

Derived Forms

• ˈtap-ˌdancer, noun
• ˈtap-ˌdancing, noun

Other Words From

• tap-dancer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tap dance¹

Probably earlier than 1925–30

Origin of tap dance²

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

At one point, the Joker even starts to tap dance.

From Los Angeles Times

The 21-year-old from Chula Vista who came one round short of advancing to the knockout stages grew up in jazz and tap dance, but the disciplines got expensive.

From Los Angeles Times

Hines was a marvel, not just with his fevered tap dancing and supple singing but with the sensitivity of his characterization.

From Los Angeles Times

“When he came back, he showed me the first motion capture clip of Gollum,” Miller remembers, “I’d never even heard the words, but I said, ‘That’s how we make all the penguins tap dance.’”

From Los Angeles Times

He started tap dancing at three years old and was cast in the national tour of the Broadway show, "The Tap Dance Kid," with fellow tap dancing great Savion Glover.

From Salon