tap dance

¹ American  

noun

1. a dance in which the rhythm or rhythmical variation is audibly tapped out with the toe or heel by a dancer wearing shoes with special hard soles or with taps.

---

tap-dance ² American  

[tap-dans, -dahns] / ˈtæpˌdæns, -ˌdɑns /

verb (used without object)

tap-danced, tap-dancing

1. to perform a tap dance.

---

tap dance British  

noun

1. a step dance in which the performer wears shoes equipped with taps that make a rhythmic sound on the stage as he dances

---

verb

1. to perform a tap dance

Other Word Forms

• tap-dancer noun
• tap-dancing noun

Etymology

Origin of tap dance¹

Probably earlier than 1925–30

Origin of tap-dance²

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Watching Lyonne’s heroine tap dance away from strafing fire gets old pretty fast, but at least Johnson and his writers realize that.

From Salon • May 8, 2025

It's set in a sparse recreation of the community centre where eight-year-old Becky from Rotherham learned to tap dance.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025

In the 1980s, this relationship between jazz music and tap dance began resurfacing in public ways across New York and Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2023

Bobo’s catch and tap dance were so jaw-dropping that officials initially ruled him out of bounds before Pete Carroll challenged the ruling.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2023

I can only recall him doing a silly tap dance on the stage of the Allakazam Club.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes