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• tap dance
  tap dance

  noun

  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
  tap-dance

  verb (used without object)

  to perform a tap dance.

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.

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tap-dance ² American  

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

verb (used without object)

tap-danced, tap-dancing

1. to perform a tap dance.

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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

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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

Wilson learned tap dance and ballet and appeared on Broadway at just 4 years old.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

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

“I stopped when I retired, and I didn’t miss it. And now all of the sudden I have to go back to doing this little tap dance to please people.”

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2023

The party was slipping away in sweet sadness, Eddie went out in the office and did a little tap dance and came back and sat down again.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck