dancer
DAHN-suh
Dancer (noun) means a person who dances, whether as a job, hobby, or profession. Example: “The dancer stretched carefully before stepping onto the stage.”
noun
1
A person who dances, whether as a job, hobby, or profession.
"The dancer stretched carefully before stepping onto the stage."
"She trained as a ballet dancer from the age of six."
"The backup dancers matched every step perfectly."
How to use dancer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who dances, professionally or otherwise.
Common pairings
ballet dancer
backup dancer
professional dancer
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Word forms
- Plural
- dancers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ stretched carefully before stepping onto the stage.
Etymology
From Middle English dauncere, built from dance plus the "person who does it" ending -er.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for dancer
See all rhymes for dancer →Frequently asked questions
What does “dancer” mean?
The word “dancer” means a person who dances, whether as a job, hobby, or profession. In plain terms, someone who dances, professionally or otherwise.
How do you pronounce “dancer”?
“Dancer” is pronounced DAHN-suh (/ˈdænsəɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “dancer” in a sentence?
Here is “dancer” used in a sentence: “She trained as a ballet dancer from the age of six.”
What part of speech is “dancer”?
“Dancer” is a noun.
Where does the word “dancer” come from?
The word “dancer” comes from Middle English. From Middle English dauncere, built from dance plus the "person who does it" ending -er.
Is “dancer” a common word?
“Dancer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between a dancer and a ballerina?
A dancer is anyone who dances, in any style and at any level, from hobbyist to professional. A ballerina is specifically a female ballet dancer, and in traditional usage the title is reserved for leading professionals rather than students. All ballerinas are dancers, but only a small subset of dancers are ballerinas.
What is the difference between a dancer and a choreographer?
A dancer performs the movement; a choreographer invents and arranges it, deciding the steps, timing, and staging that dancers then execute. Many choreographers begin their careers as dancers, and some professionals do both.
When should dancer be capitalized?
As an ordinary noun it is lowercase: "She trained as a dancer." Capitalize it only when it functions as a name — most famously Dancer, one of Santa's reindeer in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas."
