Word
polka
Phoneticspol·ka
US/ˈpoʊkɑ/
UK/pˈɒlkɐ/
Definition
n. a fast and lively dance for couples that comes from Central Europe. It is also the name for the upbeat music that goes with the dance.
n. a lively couple dance in duple time of Bohemian origin, or the musical composition that accompanies it. Characterised by a quick, rhythmic step-hop pattern.
Examples
“The band played a fast polka and everyone started dancing.”
“At the traditional wedding, the older guests were the first to hit the floor when the band began a polka.”
“While the polka originated as a folk dance in the mid-19th century, it rapidly achieved international popularity, influencing ballroom culture across Europe and the Americas.”
Examples
simple
“The band played a fast polka and everyone started dancing.”
contextual
“At the traditional wedding, the older guests were the first to hit the floor when the band began a polka.”
complex
“While the polka originated as a folk dance in the mid-19th century, it rapidly achieved international popularity, influencing ballroom culture across Europe and the Americas.”
Usage
Often used as a modifier in the phrase 'polka dot' to describe a pattern of small circles.
Real-World Examples
“At the wedding, the breakfast was held under polka dotted pink lanterns.” Etymology
Via French and German from Czech polka, variant of půlka (“half”) as in "half-step"; see půl (“half”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/polka