Tarantella

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Tarantella \Tar`an*tel"la\, n. [It.] (Mus.)
     (a) A rapid and delirious sort of Neapolitan dance in 6-8
         time, which moves in whirling triplets; -- so called from
         a popular notion of its being a remedy against the
         poisonous bite of the tarantula. Some derive its name
         from Taranto in Apulia.


     (b) Music suited to such a dance.
         [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  tarantella
       n 1: music composed in six-eight time for dancing the tarantella
       2: a lively whirling Italian dance for two persons [syn: {tarantelle}]