belly dance

American  

noun

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 dancing
  noun
• belly dancer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of belly dance

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

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

From BBC • May 14, 2026

The statue, which took five months to complete, shows Shakira wearing a maroon outfit and performing her famous belly dance.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2023

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

Veterans of Cairo’s belly dance community often lament the foreign invasion as corrupting a local art form.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2019

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