dancer meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

dancer

noun

UK /ˈdɑːnsə(ɹ)/ · US /ˈdænsəɹ/

Etymology From Middle English dauncer, dawncere, dancere, equivalent to dance + -er.

Dance, Dancing, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A person who dances, usually as a hobby, an occupation, or a profession.

Euphemistic A stripper.

Obsolete, Slang Synonym of garreter (“a thief who used housetops to enter by garret windows”).

[A]bout 40 were burglars, "dancers," "garreters," and other adepts with the skeleton keys.1889, Charles Tempest Clarkson, J. Hall Richardson, Police!, page 260:

Derived terms: 44 terms
ballet dancer, belly dancer, break dancer, break-dancer, cage dancer, dad dancer, danceress, dancerette, dancerly, devil dancer, exotic dancer, fan dancer, fire dancer, folk dancer, gandy dancer, gandy-dancer, go-go dancer, grave dancer, gravedancer, lap-dancer, lap dancer, macho dancer, morris-dancer, morris dancer, nondancer, pole dancer, rope dancer, ropedancer, saffron shadow dancer, slamdancer, slam dancer, slam-dancer, Spanish dancer, square dancer, stepdancer, street dancer, table dancer, tap dancer, tap-dancer, taxi-dancer, taxi dancer, temple dancer, tightrope dancer, wire-dancer
Related terms: dancing
Hyponyms: ballerina, ballerino, Billy Elliot, breakdancer, chorus girl, co-dancer, Fred Astaire, jiver, John Travolta, krumper, majorette, moonwalker, twerker, twinkle toes, waltzer