belly dance

American  

noun

belly dances plural

1. a solo dance of Middle Eastern origin, performed by a woman with midriff exposed, emphasizing movements of the pelvis and abdominal muscles.

---

belly dance British  

noun

1. a sensuous and provocative dance of Middle Eastern origin, performed by women, with undulating movements of the hips and abdomen

---

verb

1. (intr) to perform such a dance

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• belly dancer
  noun
• belly dancing
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• belly dances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of belly dance

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

belly dance

Her entry uses traditional Greek instruments and references the popular belly dance Tsifteteli.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

Rosen takes the history and culture of belly dance seriously, and her students understand that her classes benefit from that commitment.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2022

Chookorian took advantage of the tiki and belly dance crazes of the 1950s and ’60s through revues that toured America and Canada.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2021

When Egyptian women gathered to socialize in the 18th century, they would belly dance.

From New York Times ● Jul. 25, 2020

Here Mrs. Taylor ventured into the Street in Cairo, open at last, and witnessed her first belly dance.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson