bharata natya

noun

bhar·a·ta na·tya

¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyə

variants or bharata natyam

¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyəm

: a traditional Indian dance formerly exclusively performed by devadasis compare kathak, kathakali, manipuri

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit bharatanāṭya, literally, Bharata's dancing, from Bharata, a sage reputed to be the author of the Natyashastra, a manual of dramatic art + -nāṭya dramatic art, dancing

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of bharata natya was in 1944

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bharata natya.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bharata%20natya. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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