Definition of quadrille
1 : a four-handed variant of ombre popular especially in the 18th century
2 : a square dance for four couples made up of five or six figures chiefly in 6⁄8 and 2⁄4 time; also : music for this dance
From the M-W Editors
Did You Know?
The quadrille, named for its four couples that form the sides of a square, seems to have begun as a French country dance. In the 18th century it became fashionable among the French nobility; as performed by elegantly dressed aristocrats, it became slow and formal. It crossed over to England and from there to New England, where it turned back into a dance for the common people. It soon evolved into the American square dance, a lively type of dance that employs a "caller" to make sure everyone remembers the steps.
Origin and Etymology of quadrille
French, group of knights engaged in a carousel, from Spanish cuadrilla troop, from diminutive of cuadra square, from Latin quadra, quadrum
quadrille
Definition of quadrille
: marked with squares or rectangles
Origin and Etymology of quadrille
French quadrillé
QUADRILLE Defined for English Language Learners
quadrille
playDefinition of quadrille for English Language Learners
-
: a dance for four couples who each form one side of a square
Learn More about quadrille
-
See words that rhyme with quadrille Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quadrille
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up quadrille? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!