break dancing

noun

Definition of break dancing

: dancing in which solo dancers perform acrobatics that involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground

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break-dance

play \ˈbrāk-ˌdan(t)s\ verb

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break-dancer

play \-ˌdan(t)-sər\ noun

See break dancing defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of break dancing from the Web

Bring some cardboard and break dance in front of Doug’s Delight — that would be amazing.

— mark kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "Mabel Gray team revives classic Hazel Park ice-cream stand Doug's Delight," 9 Apr. 2018
There’s also the Coconut Grove Pumpkin Festival and a break dance convention at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, the Las Olas Art Fair in Fort Lauderdale and a teacher appreciation breakfast at Applebee’s throughout South Florida.

— jennifer jhon, South Florida Parenting, "What to do with the kids this weekend: Pumpkins, pirates and mermaids," 18 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'break dancing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of break dancing

²break (solo passage) or break beat

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1982

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

BREAK DANCING Defined for English Language Learners

break dancing

noun

Definition of break dancing for English Language Learners

: a type of dancing in which a dancer performs very athletic movements that involve touching the ground with various parts of the body (such as the head or back)