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  • dada
    dada
    noun
    the style and techniques of a group of artists, writers, etc., of the early 20th century who exploited accidental and incongruous effects in their work and who programmatically challenged established canons of art, thought, morality, etc.
  • Dada
    Dada
    noun
    a nihilistic artistic movement of the early 20th century in W Europe and the US, founded on principles of irrationality, incongruity, and irreverence towards accepted aesthetic criteria

dada

American  
[dah-dah] / ˈdɑ dɑ /

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)
  1. the style and techniques of a group of artists, writers, etc., of the early 20th century who exploited accidental and incongruous effects in their work and who programmatically challenged established canons of art, thought, morality, etc.


Dada British  
/ ˈdɑːdɑːˌɪzəm, ˈdɑːdɑː /

noun

  1. a nihilistic artistic movement of the early 20th century in W Europe and the US, founded on principles of irrationality, incongruity, and irreverence towards accepted aesthetic criteria

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of dada

1915–20; < French: hobby horse, childish reduplication of da giddyap

Explanation

Dada is another way to say "daddy" or "papa," a nickname for your father. The word dada is also the name of an early 20th-century art movement that protested conventional ideas using humor and absurdity. Across most cultures, dada is an extremely common first word (or sound) spoken by babies. In English, this is usually translated as "dad" or "daddy," and it sometimes continues to be a young child's name for their father. The avant-garde art movement took the word as its name, often capitalized as Dada, from its silly, innocent sound and multiple meanings (including "rocking horse" in French and "yes, yes" in Romanian). Ironically, this art movement was intentionally anti-art, with Dadaist artists claiming that "Dada means nothing."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Celebrating all Fathers, and thinking of those who wish they could be with their Dads, today," the post read.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

Indeed, it seems Heartland Dads are raiding the self-help shelves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Once considered a predominantly white sport, golf is now being reshaped by a new generation of Black players and other players of color, including many of the fathers in Dads Link Golf Club.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

The Maine Girl Dads are confident that they and their daughters will ultimately prevail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

As in: Last night I felt like I was fading away as I watched the starless Portland Trailblazers get stomped by Dads favorite team, the Lakers.

From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander

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