valse
Noun: 1. A waltz: A ballroom dance performed in triple time (3/4 time signature), characterized by a strong accent on the first beat of each measure and a graceful, flowing motion as couples rotate around the dance floor.
The word "valse" is used to refer specifically to the dance itself, its music, or the musical composition for such a dance. It is a formal and somewhat dated term, often used in musical contexts or to evoke a classic, elegant atmosphere.
- Noun:
- The orchestra began to play a beautiful valse, and the couples swirled onto the floor.
- Chopin composed several famous valses for the piano.
- The evening's entertainment featured a traditional valse.
- As a musical genre: In classical music, "valse" can refer to a piece of music composed in waltz time, intended for listening rather than dancing.
- Ravel's "Valse nobles et sentimentales" is a suite of piano pieces.
- Waltz (n. & v.): The more common and general English term for the same dance, music, or the action of dancing it. ("They danced a waltz." / "He waltzed across the room.")
- Vals (n.): The Spanish and Catalan word for "waltz."
- Waltz
"Valse" is directly borrowed from French, where it means "waltz." In English, it is used interchangeably with "waltz," though it can sometimes carry a more specific connotation of the 19th-century European ballroom tradition or refer to classical music compositions in that style. It is not typically used for modern or informal contexts where "waltz" would be standard.
- a ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat