mazurka

noun

ma·​zur·​ka mə-ˈzər-kə  -ˈzu̇r- 

variants or less commonly mazourka

mə-ˈzu̇r-kə 

1

: a Polish folk dance in moderate triple measure

2

: music for the mazurka or in its rhythm usually in moderate ³/₄ or ³/₈ time

Examples of mazurka in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tharp disassociates Beethoven’s rhythmic and melodic structures from their 1820s roots, finding the piece jazzy enough for a jitterbug and folksy enough for a mazurka. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025

The national dances are a riot of color, yellow for the Neapolitan, blue for the csárdás, red for the mazurka. — Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2022

Variation after variation test every tool these dancers have, layered over with waggish character dancing pulling from Polish mazurka and Russian hopak, to name a few. — Lauren Warnecke, chicagotribune.com, 4 Mar. 2022

The concert will be directed by Christian McKee and feature holiday favorites, a Scott Joplin rag, a Bach cantata and a Yuletide mazurka from Italy. — oregonlive, 15 Dec. 2021

People could dance to a Chopin mazurka, minding the cobblestones of course. — David Coggins, Town & Country, 10 Dec. 2015

Word History

Etymology

Russian, from Polish mazurek, from Mazury Masuria, region of Northeast Poland

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mazurka

• circa
• perca

Kids Definition

mazurka

noun

ma·​zur·​ka mə-ˈzər-kə 

-ˈzu̇r-

1

: a fast Polish folk dance

2

: music for the mazurka