farandole

American  

[far-uhn-dohl, fa-rahn-dawl] / ˈfær ənˌdoʊl, fa rɑ̃ˈdɔl /

noun

plural

farandoles

1. a lively dance, of Provençal origin, in which all the dancers join hands and execute various figures.

2. the music for this dance.

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farandole British  

/ ˈfærənˌdəʊl, farɑ̃dɔl /

noun

1. a lively dance in six-eight or four-four time from Provence

2. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

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Etymology

Origin of farandole

1860–65; < French < Provençal farandoulo, perhaps a conflation of b ( a ) randello with same sense, derivative of brandà to move, rock (< Germanic; see brandish) and flandrinà to dawdle, ultimately derivative of Flandres Flanders

Example Sentences

Said Archbishop Joachim Ndayen of the Central African Republic: "We didn't come thousands of kilometers to dance a farandole."

From Time Magazine Archive

After the lights went up, Lacroix joined the crowds and danced the farandole, the heels-up peasant dance of Provence.

From Time Magazine Archive

A huge bonfire had been lit in the square, in front of the café where Mistral and his friend Zidore were having a party that night… The farandole started up.

From Letters from my Windmill by Daudet, Alphonse

They move with perfect balance and remarkable grace, racing through a figure like a farandole.

From Back to Methuselah by Shaw, Bernard

They all danced the farandole until they dropped.

From Letters from my Windmill by Daudet, Alphonse