jitterbug

noun, verb — 5 senses

jitterbug

noun

/ˈd͡ʒɪtə(ɹ)bʌɡ/

Etymology From jitter + bug, after the 1934 Cab Calloway song “Jitter Bug”.

1

Colloquial A nervous or jittery person.

2

A jazz musician or aficionado.

3

Dance, Dancing, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports An uptempo jazz or swing dance which embellishes on the two-step pattern and frequently incorporates acrobatic style swing steps.

4

Synonym of diddley bow (“type of stringed instrument”).

Synonyms
jazzbo, jazzman, jazzperson, bundle of nerves, nervous wreck, worrywart

jitterbug

verb

Etymology From jitter + bug, after the 1934 Cab Calloway song “Jitter Bug”.

1

To dance the jitterbug.

Derived terms
jitterbugger

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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