Rigadoons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lively dance characterized by a quick tempo and a repeated structure that often features intricate footwork and lively music
2. A spirited form of dance and music popular in the 17th century, typically involving quick steps and upbeat melodies
3. A type of dance noted for its animated rhythm and energetic style, often performed in sequences and known for its celebratory nature

Etymology: "Rigadoons" is simply the plural of "rigadoon", a lively dance of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and the singular is the word whose history matters here. It was taken into English from French "rigaudon", a name for a quick, bouncing dance in duple time. The French name itself is of uncertain origin, and no reliable source has settled where it came from. Some have speculated links to Hebrew and Arabic words for dancing, but these are guesses that cannot be confirmed, so the trail ends in the French term.