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• dancer
  dancer

  noun

  a person who dances.
• Dancer
  Dancer

  noun

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

dancer

¹ American  

[dan-ser, dahn-] / ˈdæn sər, ˈdɑn- /

noun

dancers plural

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

Derived Forms

• nondancer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dancers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dancer

1250–1300; Middle English dauncer; see 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

Monson de Kansky was performing in the role of a street dancer in the ballet “Petrouchka,” and Igor played the organ grinder.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

Smitten by Monson de Kansky’s performance, he presented the dancer with a watercolor painting of their characters in the ballet.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

He was a background dancer on her first UK TV appearance, and later become her tour director.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

Sinatra sang that song as part of the cast of the 1949 film version, alongside Jules Munshin and dancer and director Gene Kelly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

Then she lowered it back to the floor as lightly as a ballet dancer.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• ballet dancer