Tarantella
/ˌtærənˈtɛlə/noun
A lively Italian folk dance, often performed in rapid triple meter.
Did you know?The dance became associated with tarantism, a historical belief in southern Italy that victims of a tarantula bite could be cured through hours of music and ecstatic dancing.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Táras
“The ancient name of Taranto in southern Italy, probably connected with the city’s founding traditions”
Ancient Latin
Latin
Tarentum
“The Roman name for Taranto”
17th Century
Italian
tarantola
“Tarantula; a spider associated in popular belief with poisonous bites”
17th Century
Italian
tarantismo
“Tarantism, the supposed condition caused by a tarantula bite and relieved by music and dancing”
18th Century
Italian
tarantella
“A lively dance associated with tarantism and the region around Taranto”
Modern English
English
tarantella
“An Italian folk dance, characteristically fast and often in triple time”