polka

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

noun, plural pol·kas.

a lively couple dance of Bohemian origin, with music in duple meter.
a piece of music for such a dance or in its rhythm.

verb (used without object), pol·kaed, pol·ka·ing.

to dance the polka.

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Origin of polka

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

Words nearby polka

politzer bag, politzerization, polje, polk, polk, james k., polka, polka dot, poll, poll end, poll evil, poll parrot
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for polka

British Dictionary definitions for polka

polka
/ (ˈpɒlkə) /

noun plural -kas

a 19th-century Bohemian dance with three steps and a hop, in fast duple time
a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

verb -kas, -kaing or -kaed

(intr) to dance a polka

Word Origin for polka

C19: via French from Czech pulka half-step, from pul half
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for polka

polka

A lively dance for couples, originating in eastern Europe.

notes for polka

Johann Strauss, the Younger wrote many polkas.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.