dancer

IPA/ˈdɑːnsə(r)/
KK[dˈænsɚ]IPA/ˈdænsər/

dancer — noun

  • dancersingular
  • dancersplural

1. a person who moves the body in a rhythmic way to music, whether as a paid perfor

1.nounA1
Definition

a person who moves the body in a rhythmic way to music, whether as a paid performer or just for enjoyment.

Example

Lien has been a professional dancer with the Taipei ballet company for six years.

professional dancer with [company] — describing workplace

The street dancer impressed the crowd with his powerful and graceful moves.

street dancer — compound noun for a style of dancer

Common collocations
  • professional dancer
  • talented dancer
  • street dancer
  • backup dancer
  • ballet dancer
  • skilled dancer
Synonyms
  • performer

    broader term — includes singers, actors, and musicians; does not specifically imply dancing

  • ballerina

    restricted to female ballet dancers in classical or contemporary ballet

Usage Note

Often paired with a style or role noun: ballet dancer, street dancer, backup dancer. Without a modifier, the word usually implies a trained performer in most professional contexts.

Common Mistakes

She is a great dance.
She is a great dancer.
dance is the activity; dancer is the person who does it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe people who move to music, but they differ in scope and register. Performer is the broadest term — it covers any entertainer on stage (singer, actor, musician) and does not specifically imply dancing. Ballerina refers strictly to a female ballet dancer in classical or contemporary ballet; it carries connotations of formal training and technique not present in dancer. Hoofer is an informal American term associated with tap, jazz, or musical theatre dancing — it emphasizes rhythm and footwork rather than the artistic range of dancer. A hoofer might say 'I'm a hoofer' in casual conversation, while a ballerina would never use that label. Use dancer for neutral, general-purpose reference across all styles and levels of formality.

performer ↗ballerina ↗hoofer ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ballet dancer
  • tap dancer
  • salsa dancer
  • street dancer
  • backup dancer

Prepositions

  • as a dancer
  • dancer in [show]
  • dancer with [company]

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Dancer appeared in Middle English as dauncere, formed by adding the agent suffix -er to the verb daunsen (to dance). The verb came from Old French dancier, whose origin is uncertain — some scholars trace it to a West Germanic word meaning 'to move briskly.' The modern spelling settled during the 16th and 17th centuries.