Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Of or relating to dancing.
- noun A dancer.
from The Century Dictionary.
- [cap. or lowercase] Relating to the Muse Terpsichore, or to dancing and lyrical poetry, which were sacred to this Muse: as, the terpsichorean art (that is, dancing).
- noun [lowercase] A dancer.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Of or pertaining to Terpsichore; of or pertaining to dancing.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective dance Of or relating to
dancing . - noun A person who
dances , especially professionally.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a performer who dances professionally
- adjective of or relating to dancing
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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It is the custom at some of their gatherings, after the hunting season is over, for the men to indulge in a kind of terpsichorean performance, at the same time relating in Homeric style the heroic deeds they have done.
The First Landing on Wrangel Island With Some Remarks on the Northern Inhabitants 1871
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Showing what happens (lucky you) when you get caught between the moon and New York City, Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, her terpsichorean celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (27 songs, with the classic arrangements), swept, timelessly hip, into Segerstrom Hall.
James Scarborough: Come Fly Away, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California James Scarborough 2012
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Showing what happens lucky you when you get caught between the moon and New York City, Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, her terpsichorean celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra, swept into Segerstrom Hall.
James Scarborough: Come Fly Away, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California James Scarborough 2012
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From terpsichorean temptress to sorority sweetheart, just like that.
The Mata Hari of the Faculty Lounge Con Chapman 2011
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Showing what happens (lucky you) when you get caught between the moon and New York City, Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, her terpsichorean celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (27 songs, with the classic arrangements), swept, timelessly hip, into Segerstrom Hall.
James Scarborough: Come Fly Away, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California James Scarborough 2012
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Everyone loved how we deflected their thoughts from the scurrilous rumors of a government-instigated famine in the Ukraine with a veritable cornucopia of terpsichorean appetizers!
Diary of a Bolshoi Potato Dancer Con Chapman 2011
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Astaire 1899-1987 couldn't stand to think of himself as the embodiment of terpsichorean romance or a pin-up boy for love-starved shopgirls.
He Just Had to Move Will Friedwald 2011
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Showing what happens (lucky you) when you get caught between the moon and New York City, Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, her terpsichorean celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (27 songs, with the classic arrangements), swept, timelessly hip, into Segerstrom Hall.
James Scarborough: Come Fly Away, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California James Scarborough 2012
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But it demonstrated that—at least here—Mr. Lepage could do everything except for a few high leg lifts his terpsichorean partners could do.
A Life in Multiple Roles: Lepage's Enigmatic Dance David Littlejohn 2011
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Showing what happens (lucky you) when you get caught between the moon and New York City, Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, her terpsichorean celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (27 songs, with the classic arrangements), swept, timelessly hip, into Segerstrom Hall.
James Scarborough: Come Fly Away, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California James Scarborough 2012
chained_bear commented on the word terpsichorean
of, pertaining to, or of the nature of dancing, from "Terpsichore," the Muse of dance.
February 14, 2007
reesetee commented on the word terpsichorean
Terpsichore. It just *sounds* like dancing, doesn't it?
February 14, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word terpsichorean
Actually, I think it sounds like a disease, and should go on your "Not as Awful as They Sound" list.
February 15, 2007
repsac3 commented on the word terpsichorean
...but this word always makes me hungry for some cheesy comestibles...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDat9zdw7Gs
September 6, 2007
johnmperry commented on the word terpsichorean
One of the nine muses
July 18, 2008
super-logos commented on the word terpsichorean
I am with chained-bear. I have never liked the sound of this word. It lacks coloratura.
August 23, 2008
john commented on the word terpsichorean
“Much of the power of ‘Billy Elliot’ as an honest tear-jerker lies in its ability to give equal weight to the sweet dreams of terpsichorean flight and the sourness of a dream-denying reality, with the two elements locked in a vital and unending dialogue.�?
The New York Times, In Hard Times, Born to Pirouette, by Ben Brantley, November 14, 2008
November 14, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word terpsichorean
I agree with said Brantley dude about 'Billy Elliot.' Neat story.
November 14, 2008
reesetee commented on the word terpsichorean
I third that sentiment.
November 14, 2008
frindley commented on the word terpsichorean
I named one of my baroque flutes Terpsichore. The other was called Euterpe. My modern flute was called Claude, before I discovered that "Claudius" meant lame (thanks a heap, Robert Graves).
November 14, 2008
reesetee commented on the word terpsichorean
*loves that frindley names her musical instruments*
November 14, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word terpsichorean
Yes, frindley, and this is where claudicant comes from.
November 15, 2008
yarb commented on the word terpsichorean
Each of the children has picked up an empty and, quite nonchalantly,
hurls it down onto the grans, young mums and spinsters and babes.
No one evinces surprise or alarm or even vexation,
fox-trotting through the smashed bits, Terpsichorean and deft.
- Peter Reading, Ukulele Music, 1985
May 30, 2009
grant_barrett commented on the word terpsichorean
This word was chosen as Wordnik word of the day.
November 11, 2009
qms commented on the word terpsichorean
Is a stick made of hickory “hickorian?”
Is coffee with chicory “chickorian?”
By what rhythmic trickery
Did that hussy Terpsichore
Swell to the grand “Terpsichorean?”
May 11, 2014