mazurka means A traditional Polish folk dance in triple time, usually moderately fast, containing a heavy accent on the third beat and occasionally the second beat.
mazurka is pronounced /məˈzʊə(ɹ)kə/.
Why “mazurka” is a great word
A Polish folk dance in triple meter with a characteristic accent on the second or third beat, or a piece of music composed in this style. Its name travels via German Mazurka and Russian мазу́рка (mazúrka) from Polish mazurek, a diminutive of Mazur ("inhabitant of Mazovia"), the historical region of Mazowsze in Poland. Unlike the waltz, with its predictable, flowing pulse anchored on the first beat, or the polka’s straightforward duple-time bounce, the mazurka is defined by its rhythmic hesitation, a syncopated stumble that gives it both grandeur and a touch of melancholy. It is the peasant boot striking earth where will decides, not gravity; the violinist's bow catching a note late, turning rhythm into conversation; the memory of frozen Mazovian fields preserved in Chopin's scores—a dance where joy is punctuated not by abandon, but by the dignified, weighted drag of time.
Etymology
Via German Mazurka and Russian мазу́рка (mazúrka), from Polish mazurek (“dance of the Masurian”), the Masurians being the inhabitants of Mazowsze (compare Medieval Latin Mazovia), an ancient cultural region in east-central Poland.
noun
- A traditional Polish folk dance in triple time, usually moderately fast, containing a heavy accent on the third beat and occasionally the second beat.“There is plenty of company, consisting of young men and women, all very neatly dressed in white and black - a true Portuguese habit. Quadrilles, waltzes, polkas, and mazurkas are danced with great vigour and much skill.”
- A classical musical composition inspired by the folk dance and conforming in some respects to its form, particularly as popularized by Chopin.
- A figure skating move that combines elements of the toe loop and bunny-hop.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- minuet 82% match — A slow graceful dance consisting of a coupé, a high step, and a balance. vs mazurka →
- passacaglia 81% match — A form of historical Spanish or Italian dance characterised by a serious nature, triple meter, and use of a ground bass. vs mazurka →
- scherzo 81% match — A piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony; especially, a piece of music played in a playful manner. vs mazurka →
- saltarello 81% match — A lively medieval Italian dance with a leaping step. vs mazurka →
- pavane 80% match — A musical style characteristic of the 16th and 17th centuries. vs mazurka →
- fandango 80% match — A form of lively flamenco music and dance that has many regional variations (e.g. fandango de Huelva), some of which have their own names (e.g. malagueña, granadina). vs mazurka →
- ragtime 80% match — A musical form having a rhythm characterized by strong syncopation in the melody with a regularly accented accompaniment. vs mazurka →
- chaconne 80% match — A slow, stately Baroque dance. vs mazurka →