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

Stewart did not refrain from expressing this opinion in the saltiest terms on-air, especially to Carlson, the show’s co-host who was cast as the overgrown college Republican with odious views and a polka dot bowtie.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 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

Its storefront, painted with polka dots and decorated with giant butterflies, sits like a cheery oasis in Gustine’s four-block downtown, a riot of green spilling from the planter boxes out front.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2025

Playing and dancing on the balcony in a blue polka dot dress, she looks much younger than her age, having suffered from malnutrition in the past.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

Whether it was the polka that they danced is another question.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli