noun
Uncommon
boogie
BOO-gee
Boogie (noun) means a lively style of dancing, especially to pop, rock, or swing music. Example: “They hit the dance floor for a boogie as soon as the band started.”
noun
1
A lively style of dancing, especially to pop, rock, or swing music.
"They hit the dance floor for a boogie as soon as the band started."
verb
1
To dance energetically, especially to popular music.
"Everyone was boogieing by the second song."
2
To move quickly; to leave in a hurry (informal).
"We need to boogie if we're going to catch that train."
How to use boogie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo dance energetically, or, more loosely, to move fast or head off somewhere.
When to use it
Informal and upbeat in tone; common in casual speech and older pop-culture references.
Common pairings
boogie down
boogie on down
have a boogie
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Word forms
- Plural
- boogies
- Third person singular
- boogies
- Past tense
- boogied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They hit the dance floor for a _____ as soon as the band started.
Etymology
From French bouger, "to move" — echoed in the dance-floor sense of moving to the beat.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for boogie
See all rhymes for boogie →Frequently asked questions
What does “boogie” mean?
The word “boogie” means a lively style of dancing, especially to pop, rock, or swing music. In plain terms, to dance energetically, or, more loosely, to move fast or head off somewhere.
How do you pronounce “boogie”?
“Boogie” is pronounced BOO-gee (/ˈbʊ.ɡi/ in IPA).
How do you use “boogie” in a sentence?
Here is “boogie” used in a sentence: “They hit the dance floor for a boogie as soon as the band started.”
What part of speech is “boogie”?
Depending on how it is used, “boogie” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “boogie” come from?
The word “boogie” comes from French. From French bouger, "to move" — echoed in the dance-floor sense of moving to the beat.
Is “boogie” a common word?
“Boogie” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “boogie” have?
“Boogie” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a lively style of dancing, especially to pop, rock, or swing music.
What is the difference between boogie meaning to dance and boogie meaning to leave quickly?
As a verb, boogie can mean to dance energetically to popular music, but in informal usage it can also mean to move quickly or leave in a hurry, as in "we better boogie before it starts raining." Context makes clear which sense is intended, since the two meanings are unrelated in action.
Is boogie formal or informal?
Boogie is an informal term, whether used as a noun for a lively style of dancing or as a verb meaning to dance or to hurry away. It would not typically appear in formal writing or professional speech.
What is the difference between boogie and boogie-woogie?
Boogie generally refers to a lively style of dancing to pop, rock, or swing music, while boogie-woogie specifically refers to a style of blues piano music with a rolling bass pattern. The two terms are related historically but boogie-woogie names a specific musical genre rather than dancing in general.
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