Hoofers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals skilled in or performing rhythmic dance steps, especially tap dancing ; horses' feet or the hard coverings on the feet of certain animals ; people or animals that move with a distinctive foot action or pounding rhythm
2. Persons known for their expertise in percussive dance techniques ; the hardened feet of livestock such as horses and cattle ; entities characterized by their distinctive, rhythmic foot movements or sounds
3. Dancers who specialize in intricate footwork and tapping sounds ; the protective keratinous coverings found on the feet of ungulates ; beings recognized for their notably rhythmic or pounding foot motions

Etymology: "Hoofers" is the plural of "hoofer", a noun for a tap dancer, and the root is the familiar animal foot. The verb "hoof" meaning to dance is an informal American coinage, and "hoofer" was formed from it by adding the agent suffix "-er". Dancing on hoofs makes a fitting image: the feet strike the floor in rapid, audible beats, much as a horse's hooves do on a road. The suffix does the same work it does in "baker" or "singer", turning a verb into a word for the person who performs the action. The noun "hoof" itself comes from Old English "hōf", which traces back through Proto-Germanic to a much older Indo-European root, and it has been an animal's foot since the earliest English records. The dance sense is a much later development built on that ancient word.

Synonyms: dancers, tap dancers, performers