ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ballroom

n. · v.
US //ˈbɔɫˌɹum// UK //bˈɔːlɹuːm// ball·room
  1. 1 a large room (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a large, grand room in a big house or hotel used for formal dances and parties.

    a large, ornate room specifically designed for social dancing, formal balls, and large-scale banquets.

    Example

    The hotel ballroom was decorated with hundreds of flowers for the wedding.

    Example

    The palace ballroom featured massive crystal chandeliers and polished marble floors that reflected the light of a thousand candles during the gala.
  2. 2 style of dance (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a style of formal social dancing for couples, such as the waltz or tango.

    a set of partner dances, including the waltz, tango, and foxtrot, enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world.

    Example

    They decided to take ballroom classes before their wedding so they could dance the waltz.

    Example

    Competitive ballroom requires not only technical precision and athletic endurance but also a deep connection between the two partners.
    • social dancing
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  1. 3 to dance (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Literary

    to take part in formal ballroom dancing.

    to engage in ballroom dancing. This intransitive use is less common than the noun form.

    Example

    The couples ballroomed across the floor until the early hours of the morning.

    Example

    As the orchestra played a sweeping melody, the guests began to ballroom with a grace rarely seen in modern nightclubs.
Origin

From ball + room.

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