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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

tap dances plural

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

Derived Forms

• tap-dancer
  noun
• tap-dancing
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tap dances
  plural

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

L.A. is full of talented jazz musicians and tap dance artists.

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 got bored sitting on that washbowl after a while, so I backed up a few feet and started doing this tap dance, just for the hell of it.

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger