tap dance

¹ American  

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.

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tap-dance ² American  

[tap-dans, -dahns] / ˈtæpˌdæns, -ˌdɑns /

verb (used without object)

tap-danced, tap-dancing

1. to perform a tap dance.

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tap dance British  

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

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verb

1. to perform a tap dance

Other Word Forms

• tap-dancer noun
• tap-dancing noun

Etymology

Origin of tap dance¹

Probably earlier than 1925–30

Origin of tap-dance²

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Watching Lyonne’s heroine tap dance away from strafing fire gets old pretty fast, but at least Johnson and his writers realize that.

From Salon • May 8, 2025

Arriving on stage in a sparkly tuxedo dress, she rearranged her hits Espresso and Please Please Please in a jazzy big band style, and even delivered a fleet-footed tap dance sequence.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2025

L.A. is full of talented jazz musicians and tap dance artists.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2023

“I stopped when I retired, and I didn’t miss it. And now all of the sudden I have to go back to doing this little tap dance to please people.”

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2023

My tap dance lessons ended over a year ago, and I’m not sure how much I’ll remember.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan