dancer

¹ American  

[dan-ser, dahn-] / ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /

noun

1. a person who dances.

2. a person who dances professionally, as on the stage.

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Dancer ² American  

[dan-ser, dahn-] / ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /

noun

1. Stanley, 1927–2005, U.S. harness racer and trainer.

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Other Word Forms

• nondancer noun

Etymology

Origin of dancer

1250–1300; Middle English dauncer; dance, -er ¹

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

That studio was later used by dancer and choreographer Valerie Bettis, who crafted routines for some of Hollywood and Broadway’s biggest heavyweights, including famed screen siren Rita Hayworth.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Other acts include Major Lazer, indie-pop band Foster the People and British singer, dancer, and visual artist FKA twigs.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The dancer then returned to the UK, teaching at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and has now had her shoes repaired 40 years after her first professional solo performance.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Ballerina Farm, where former ballet dancer Hannah Neeleman makes a spectacle of her wifely submission, has over 10 million Instagram followers, despite a recent scandal over her company’s raw milk sales.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

“Mi cielo, you’re as good a dancer as you were in Cuba.”

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• ballet dancer