black bottom

American

noun

an American dance, popular in the late 1920s, marked by emphatic, sinuous movements of the hips.

black bottom British

noun

a dance of the late 1920s that originated in America, involving a sinuous rotation of the hips

"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

Etymology

Origin of black bottom

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

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.

The new cone, with a black bottom half and a propeller on top, has been placed on the Duke's head, along with another cone placed under his arm.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2023

Does some fruit have a shrunken, leathery, black bottom end?

From Seattle Times • Jul. 26, 2021

I liked the idea of the black bottom because of its reflection.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2020

“I still miss that black bottom pie and the fried shrimp. “And the Camelot Inn is gone.

From Washington Times • Oct. 30, 2017

The pool had a black bottom, and it was fringed with rocks to make it seem like a pond.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023