dancer
noun
a person who dances.
dancer
1 American
[dan-ser, dahn-]
/ ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /
Dancer
2
American
[dan-ser, dahn-]
/ ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dancer
Explanation
A dancer is someone who dances for fun, as a hobby, or for a job. The dancers at a rock concert often look like they're enjoying the music most of all. You can be a dancer at your cousin's wedding reception, or a dancer in a professional ballet corps. Though the second example requires a much more serious commitment than the first, they both require you to move your body rhythmically, usually accompanied by music. In Old French, dancer means "to dance," and its origin is somewhat uncertain. One theory connects the word to the Old Frisian dintje, which means "tremble or quiver."
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.
These include Klimt’s knockout masterpiece, 1916-18 “The Dancer” and Kirchner’s 1911 “The Russian Dancer Mela,” as well works by Otto Dix, George Grosz and Franz Marc.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Dancer Chandler Davidson is one of the company’s more recent additions.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Dancer Yang Sopheaktra, 21, graduated from the Phnom Penh school three years ago and recalled that the training was "really difficult".
From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025
According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.
From BBC • Dec. 19, 2025
“You’re bloody mad,” said an oarsman off Storm Dancer.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
