noun
jitterbug
JIH-tuh-buhg
noun
1
A lively swing dance from the 1930s and 40s, built on a two-step pattern with energetic, sometimes acrobatic moves.
"The couple won the contest with a fast, flashy jitterbug."
"Old newsreels show soldiers jitterbugging at USO dances."
2
A person who is nervous or restless.
"He was a real jitterbug before his first flight."
verb
1
To dance the jitterbug.
"They jitterbugged across the floor to the big band music."
How to Use Jitterbug
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fast, energetic swing dance from the swing-music era — or, informally, a jittery person.
Common pairings
dance the jitterbug
jitterbug contest
Word Forms
jitterbugged past tense, jitterbugs plural, jitterbugs singular
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Etymology
From jitter + bug, popularized by Cab Calloway's 1934 song "Jitter Bug."