quadrille

1 of 2

noun

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

quadrille

2 of 2

adjective

: marked with squares or rectangles

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.

Examples of quadrille in a Sentence

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Noun
There's no matchmaking or ribbon clutching (the ribbon on Jane's dress!), and no one dances a quadrille but whatever. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, group of knights engaged in a carousel, from Spanish cuadrilla troop, from diminutive of cuadra square, from Latin quadra, quadrum

Adjective

French quadrillé

First Known Use

Noun

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quadrille was in 1726

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Cite this Entry

“Quadrille.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadrille. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

quadrille

noun
qua·​drille
kwä-ˈdril,
k(w)ə-
: a square dance for four couples or music for this dance

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