big band

noun

: a band that is larger than a combo and that usually features a mixture of ensemble playing and solo improvisation typical of jazz or swing

Examples of big band in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The theater building, a former big band dance hall and roller skating rink, is owned by the city of Waterbury. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2026

Her big band from the Land tour is present on this album to draw a loud counterpoint to the protagonist’s quest for smallness and silence. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026

Last year, guests were treated to music of the Beatles, Jimmy Buffett, big band and dance. — Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026

There’s a resident big band that sets the tempo for dancing—there are even gentlemen hosts available for ladies—and a DJ rocks the small disco late into the night. — Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for big band

• armband
• backhand
• bandstand
• baseband
• broadband
• command
• cropland
• demand
• disband
• dreamland
• expand
• farmhand