war dance
Americannoun
noun
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a ceremonial dance performed before going to battle or after victory, esp by certain North American Indian peoples
-
a dance representing warlike action
Etymology
Origin of war dance
An Americanism dating back to 1705–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The All Blacks' pre-match ceremonial war dance is one of rugby's iconic sights.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2023
The haka, the ceremonial war dance or challenge, is perhaps the best-known Māori cultural touchstone outside New Zealand, due to its use by the All Blacks, the country’s three-time World Cup-champion rugby team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2023
Movement director Jonathan Goddard is in more of a haka mood, he says, before briefly demonstrating the Maori war dance.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 1, 2023
In 2001 we started a partnership with a company there and the first time I visited, some of the staff did a war dance and presented me with the club.
From New York Times ● Oct. 15, 2016
Worsley gave a lecture on New Zealand and taught several volunteers the Maori war dance, the haka.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
