rock-'n'-roll
or rock-and-roll, rock 'n' roll
[rok-uh n-rohl]
noun
a style of popular music that derives in part from blues and folk music and is marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple, repetitive phrase structure.
adjective
of or relating to this music.
verb (used without object)
to dance to or play rock-'n'-roll.
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Why is it called “rock n’ roll?” What does the “roll” mean?Is “Rocket ‘88” by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats the very first rock and roll record? The question has inspired debate among musicologists for years. Another equally contentious question: Where does the term rock and roll come from? Rock is derived from the Old English roccain, related to the Old Nordic rykkja meaning, “to pull, tear, move.” The earliest recorded use of the term in literature …
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- rock wall,
- rock wallaby,
- rock wool,
- rock wren,
- rock'n'roll,
- rock-a-bye,
- rock-and-roll,
- rock-bottom,
- rock-bound,
- rock-candy
Origin of rock-'n'-roll
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019