Word
dada
Phoneticsda·da
US/ˈdɑˌdɑ/
UK/dˈɑːdɐ/
Definition
n. an art movement from the early 20th century that was meant to be confusing and silly. It was a protest against traditional art and the rules of society.
n. an early 20th-century avant-garde movement that rejected logic, reason, and aestheticism in favour of nonsense, irrationality, and anti-bourgeois protest. When capitalised, it refers specifically to the historical movement; in lowercase, it may describe a style or attitude resembling this movement.
Examples
“The artist used Dada techniques to create a strange collage.”
“Dada emerged in Zurich during World War I as a radical response to the perceived insanity of the conflict.”
“By incorporating found objects and chance operations into their work, the proponents of Dada sought to dismantle the traditional boundaries between high art and the mundane realities of modern life.”
Examples
simple
“The artist used Dada techniques to create a strange collage.”
contextual
“Dada emerged in Zurich during World War I as a radical response to the perceived insanity of the conflict.”
complex
“By incorporating found objects and chance operations into their work, the proponents of Dada sought to dismantle the traditional boundaries between high art and the mundane realities of modern life.”
Usage
Usually capitalised as 'Dada' when referring to the specific historical art movement.
Real-World Examples
“Dada became an international movement active in Berlin, Paris and New York, and it transformed modern art.” Etymology
From French dada (literally “hobby horse”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.