folk dance

American  

noun

• folk dances
  plural

1. a dance that originated among, and has been transmitted through, the common people.

2. a piece of music for such a dance.

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folk dance British  

noun

1. any of various traditional rustic dances often originating from festivals or rituals

2. a piece of music composed for such a dance

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verb

1. to perform a folk dance

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• folk dancer
  noun
• folk dancing
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• folk dances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of folk dance

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

folk dance

On their way off the tarmac, they were greeted by a troupe of folk dance performers and flanked by two rows of teenagers wearing T-shirts bearing photos of Xi.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

But after Trump Jr. touched down, the two men toured the Ambanis’ private zoo, and at night they performed a Gujarati folk dance, grinning as they moved together to the music.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

As we follow him, what seemed like a close look at a regional folk dance soon reveals itself as a magical realist journey that’s both beguiling and amusing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

This 1898 divertissement by Marius Petipa, to the melodious music of Alexander Glazunov, is accented with moves shaped by Hungarian folk dance and has long been a staple of various classical ballet companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

This is the first time I get to dance Tinikling, a folk dance that mimics a tikling bird hopping between stems of grass and running over tree branches.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio