hora: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialized/Formal/Neutral
Quick answer
What does “hora” mean?
A traditional circle dance, typically associated with Jewish, Romanian, and Balkan cultures, performed to music with a distinct, often upbeat rhythm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A traditional circle dance, typically associated with Jewish, Romanian, and Balkan cultures, performed to music with a distinct, often upbeat rhythm.
May refer to the specific music or rhythm accompanying the dance; by extension, any joyous community circle dance inspired by this tradition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Awareness of the term correlates more with cultural/community exposure than with national variety of English.
Connotations
Cultural specificity remains the dominant connotation in both regions.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in general corpora for both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “hora” in a Sentence
dance [the] horajoin in [the] horaplay [the] hora (for music)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hora” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The guests will hora for what seems like hours.
American English
- After the ceremony, everyone horad into the night.
adjective
British English
- The band struck up a hora melody.
American English
- The party had a definite hora vibe.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in ethnomusicology, dance studies, or cultural anthropology papers.
Everyday
Used when describing cultural events, weddings, or folk dance experiences.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hora”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hora”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hora”
- Using 'hora' as a generic term for any dance (incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'horah' or 'horaa'.
- Incorrect plural: 'horas' is occasionally seen, but 'horas' or 'hora' (as an uncountable) is standard.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While strongly associated with Jewish celebration (especially via the song Hava Nagila), the hora originates from Romanian and Balkan folk traditions.
It is typically fast-paced, in a compound meter (like 2/4 or 3/8), played on folk instruments like the accordion, clarinet, or violin.
Informally, yes (e.g., 'Let's hora!'), but this is a conversion from the noun and is not as common as 'dance the hora'.
Both are circle dances from Eastern Europe. 'Kolo' is the South Slavic (e.g., Serbian, Croatian) term, while 'hora' or 'horă' is the Romanian term. The dance styles and music differ.
A traditional circle dance, typically associated with Jewish, Romanian, and Balkan cultures, performed to music with a distinct, often upbeat rhythm.
Hora is usually specialized/formal/neutral in register.
Hora: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɔː.rə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɔːr.ə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No established English idioms.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HORA sounds like 'HOrrible RAndom Arms'? Not at all! It's a HAppy, ORderly, RAucous circle dance where everyone links arms.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A CIRCLE (linked, unbroken, equal). JOY IS SPINNING MOTION.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most defining feature of a hora?