Prom

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /pɹɑm/

Definitions

1. A formal social gathering usually held near the end of an academic year where students dress up and dance
2. An elegant dance event commonly organized by educational institutions for their students
3. A special occasion featuring formal attire and dancing, typically attended by teenagers or young adults at school

Etymology: The word "prom" is a clipping of "promenade," the French-derived term for a leisurely walk taken for pleasure or to be seen. Its older sense ran through strolling in public places, which is where the social flavour starts: a promenade was as much about being seen as about exercise. The shortened form arrived in American English, where "prom" first turned up as a name for a dance held by students, the shortening being the familiar kind that trims a longer word down to its stressed first syllable. The fuller "promenade" kept its walking sense, so the two words drifted apart while sharing a root. The link between a stroll and a dance is the part that tends to surprise people. A "promenade" in older dance usage described couples walking together around a floor before or between dances, so the formal evening took its name from the procession that opened it.

Synonyms: dance, ball, gala

Antonyms: funeral