gavotte
Americannoun
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an old French dance in moderately quick quadruple meter.
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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.
noun
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an old formal dance in quadruple time
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a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
As if presenting a vast and stately gavotte, the soloists and ensembles moved about the stage, advancing and retreating as they were featured in turn.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2014
A soppy mum and a pushy dad perform their time-honoured parental gavotte.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 11, 2011
Then we were off, Char naming each dance: a gavotte, a slow sarabande, a courante, an allemande.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
