Jump To:

• country-dance
  country-dance

  noun

  a dance of rural English origin in which the dancers form circles or squares or in which they face each other in two rows.
• country dance
  country dance

  noun

  a type of folk dance in which couples are arranged in sets and perform a series of movements, esp facing one another in a line

country-dance

American  

[kuhn-tree-dans, -dahns] / ˈkʌn triˌdæns, -ˌdɑns /

noun

1. a dance of rural English origin in which the dancers form circles or squares or in which they face each other in two rows.

---

country dance British  

noun

1. a type of folk dance in which couples are arranged in sets and perform a series of movements, esp facing one another in a line

---

Other Word Forms

• country dancing
  noun

Etymology

Origin of country-dance

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

country-dance country dance

Courses are as varied as English country-dance, the presidency and genealogy on the computer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gavotte, ga-vot′, n. a lively kind of dance, somewhat like a country-dance, originally a dance of the Gavotes, the people of Gap, in the Upper Alps: the music for such a dance.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

I should be as scandalised at a bon mot issuing from his oracle-looking mouth, as to see Cato go down a country-dance.

From The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb, 1796-1820 by Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)

The sun shone upon the spangled dresses of the performers, and their evolutions were about as inspiriting and appropriate as a country-dance in a family vault. 

From Sketches by Boz, illustrative of everyday life and every-day people by Dickens, Charles

The country-dance occupied the whole length of the room; and round the walls were disposed tables for whist or loo, where the elders amused themselves with as much pleasure, and not less noise.

From Jack Hinton The Guardsman by Lever, Charles James

The 16-year-old has enjoyed the country dance style since she was seven, following in the footsteps of her mum, grandmother and great-grandmother.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025

On its website, Borderline is described as “Ventura County’s largest country dance hall and live music venue . . . a haven for country line dancing folks of all ages.”

From Washington Post ● Nov. 8, 2018

FRI Zydeco dance lesson, 7:15 p.m., blues, swing, zydeco, Cajun, country dance for all ages with DJ, 8-11 p.m.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 18, 2018

In its second episode, “Poldark” explodes with action, forbidden romance, double-crossing, clandestine meetings, a duel, and yes, Jane Austen fans, there’s even a country dance.

From New York Times ● Jun. 28, 2015

At this country dance Johnny for the first time saw Rab move suddenly into action.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes