beguine

1 of 2

noun (1)

be·​guine ˈbā-ˌgēn How to pronounce beguine (audio) ˌbā-ˈgēn How to pronounce beguine (audio)
often capitalized
: a member of one of various ascetic and philanthropic communities of women not under vows founded chiefly in the Netherlands in the 13th century

beguine

2 of 2

noun (2)

be·​guine bi-ˈgēn How to pronounce beguine (audio)
: a vigorous popular dance of the islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique that somewhat resembles the rumba

Examples of beguine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This energetic program covers many genres — tangos, polkas, waltzes rags and beguines – as well as pieces from Strauss to Sousa to The Village People. —Encinitas Advocate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from Middle French, feminine derivative of beguin, begard, "male member of a lay order," going back to Old French, borrowed from Middle Dutch begaert, bagaert, of uncertain origin

Noun (2)

American French béguine, from French béguin flirtation

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beguine was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near beguine

béguin

beguine

begum

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Beguine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beguine. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...