dancer
noun
a person who dances.
dancer
1 American
[dan-ser, dahn-]
/ ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /
Dancer
2
American
[dan-ser, dahn-]
/ ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dancer
Explanation
A dancer is someone who dances for fun, as a hobby, or for a job. The dancers at a rock concert often look like they're enjoying the music most of all. You can be a dancer at your cousin's wedding reception, or a dancer in a professional ballet corps. Though the second example requires a much more serious commitment than the first, they both require you to move your body rhythmically, usually accompanied by music. In Old French, dancer means "to dance," and its origin is somewhat uncertain. One theory connects the word to the Old Frisian dintje, which means "tremble or quiver."
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.
She said she was “a dancer from the age of two” and was “constantly singing” – so much so that family members would often send her off to get cookies to be quiet.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
Whatever else he was, Michael Jackson was a musical genius as a songwriter, singer and dancer.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
“My wife, who’s a fantastic dancer, was in ‘In the Heights’ on Broadway,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
He also previously had a relationship with dancer Julianne Hough.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
Melba Valle lived above us and was a part-time model and dancer.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
