gavotte

American  

[guh-vot] / gəˈvɒt /

Or gavot

noun

1. an old French dance in moderately quick quadruple meter.

2. a piece of music for, or in the rhythm of, this dance, often forming one of the movements in the classical suite, usually following the saraband.

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gavotte British  

/ ɡəˈvɒt /

noun

1. an old formal dance in quadruple time

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

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Etymology

Origin of gavotte

1690–1700; < French < Provençal gavoto a mountaineer of Provence, a dance of such mountaineers, apparently derivative of gava bird's crop (probably < pre-Latin *gaba throat, crop, goiter), alluding to the prevalence of goiter among the mountaineers

Example Sentences

The music of the party scene, with its playful marches and stately gavotte, is pleasant and lovely, but the real joy of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” doesn’t begin until Clara goes to bed.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2021

The moves in this argument are as well-rehearsed as a 17th Century gavotte.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2015

Did the fairy caravan ride here, on hand-high ponies, to binge on fermented tomatoes and dance a gavotte?

From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2014

A soppy mum and a pushy dad perform their time-honoured parental gavotte.

From The Guardian • Jul. 11, 2011

The dance was a gavotte, too spirited for talk.

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine