bayadere
Americannoun
noun
-
a dancing girl, esp one serving in a Hindu temple
-
a fabric or design with horizontal stripes, esp of a bright colour
adjective
Etymology
Origin of bayadere
1855–60; < French: a professional female dancer of India < Portuguese bailadeira, feminine of bailador dancer ( baila ( r ) to dance ( see ball 2) + -dor < Latin -tor -tor ); apparently in reference to the fabrics worn by such dancers
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.
In every song, in every dance, Rebecca, Mukhtar Bey's beautiful Jewish damsel, and the blue-eyed bayadere Lizza, who was Sulaiman Bey's favorite, equally excelled.
From The Lion of Janina The Last Days of the Janissaries by Mór Jókai
Lydia came upon Vasti, the bayadere, returning to the culina with a flaring taper in her hand.
From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Elizabeth Miller
The reflection of a greater thing claimed her and taught her, held her like a bayadere in a temple court.
From Foes by Mary Johnston
With the bayadere following he raced through the cloyed musk of the temple toward the square of lesser darkness at the rear, which showed the exit into the court.
From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Elizabeth Miller
"And she is more powerful than thou art," cried the enraged bayadere, accumulating insult on the head of Adsalis, "for she is the wife of Halil Patrona."
From Halil the Pedlar A Tale of Old Stambul by Mór Jókai
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
