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Charleston

1 American  
[chahrlz-tuhn, chahrl-stuhn] / ˈtʃɑrlz tən, ˈtʃɑrl stən /

noun

  1. a vigorous, rhythmic ballroom dance popular in the 1920s.

verb (used without object)

  1. to dance the Charleston.

Charleston 2 American  
[chahrlz-tuhn, chahrl-stuhn] / ˈtʃɑrlz tən, ˈtʃɑrl stən /

noun

  1. a seaport in SE South Carolina.

  2. a city in and the capital of West Virginia, in the W part.

  3. a city in E central Illinois.

Charleston 1 British  
/ ˈtʃɑːlstən /

noun

  1. a city in central West Virginia: the state capital. Pop: 51 394 (2003 est)

  2. a port in SE South Carolina, on the Atlantic: scene of the first action in the Civil War. Pop: 101 024 (2003 est)

"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
charleston 2 British  
/ ˈtʃɑːlstən /

noun

  1. a fast rhythmic dance of the 1920s, characterized by kicking and by twisting of the legs from the knee down

"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
Charleston 1 Cultural  

  1. Two cities in the South: one a port city in southeastern South Carolina, the other the capital of West Virginia.

Charleston 2 Cultural  

  1. A fast-paced dance, with elaborate arm movements, that became a craze in the United States during the 1920s.

Etymology

Origin of Charleston

Named after Charleston, South Carolina

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 Charleston plant is operated by Volvo, which is controlled by Geely, and currently produces Volvo and Polestar models.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

During a late-March event held in Fairey’s hometown of Charleston, S.C.,

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Lilly, who was handcuffed and taken into custody, requested that her purse be brought with her to the detention facility in North Charleston.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

I’d been hesitant about my decision to stay outside of the downtown area, but as the band conjured a Charleston of yore, I knew I’d made the right choice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

Lillian had risen and was sitting at the kitchen table reading the Charleston News and Courier and finishing her first cup of coffee.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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.