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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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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

From Time Magazine Archive

And, hand clasping hand, they swung out into the farandole.

From The Maids of Paradise by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

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

The farandole was trying to enter the antechamber, and the gambling rooms, to wrap its coils about the crowd, the croupiers, and the tables.

From The Enemies of Women (Los enemigos de la mujer) by Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente