polka

American  

[pohl-kuh, poh-kuh] / ˈpoʊl kə, ˈpoʊ kə /

noun

plural

polkas

1. a lively couple dance of Bohemian origin, with music in duple meter.

2. a piece of music for such a dance or in its rhythm.

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verb (used without object)

polkaed, polkaing

1. to dance the polka.

polka British  

/ ˈpɒlkə /

noun

1. a 19th-century Bohemian dance with three steps and a hop, in fast duple time

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

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verb

1. (intr) to dance a polka

polka Cultural  

1. A lively dance for couples, originating in eastern Europe.

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Discover More

Johann Strauss, the Younger wrote many polkas.

Etymology

Origin of polka

1835–45; < Czech: literally, Polish woman or girl; compare Polish polka Polish woman, polak Pole

Explanation

Polka is both a dance and a type of live music that's played specifically for dancing the polka. Many people associate polka music with the accordion. The origins of the polka go back to a Czech folk dance, and the word itself comes from the Czech pulka, or "half," a reference to the common "half-steps" in Bohemian dances. Polka spread to the wider Czech culture by the 1830s, and soon after to Paris, England, and the United States, where it was adopted as the "national dance" of U.S. Polish immigrants during the 20th century. It's also a verb: "Hear that music? Let's polka!"

Example Sentences

It shows the singer sitting on a stool wearing a polka dot puffer jacket and boots revealing a tattoo on her left leg.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

He once hired a polka band to follow one of his friends around on his birthday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

To my great surprise, I had no memory that John Candy had a stellar bit part in the film as a modest Midwestern polka player.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2025

I said, well, have you seen ‘Home Alone’? Remember the polka guy that picks up the mom and takes her in the van?

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025

We skated for a moment without talking, the polka music oompahing along.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine