English Explanatory Dictionary

hokey pokey

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Alternative spelling of Hokey Pokey (“dance”).
  2. A confection made from golden syrup, white sugar, and baking soda; honeycomb toffee
  3. Vanilla ice cream with small pieces of honeycomb toffee.
noun
  1. A group dance performed in a circle, in which people move a variety of their body parts in and out of the middle, and shake them about.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-hokey pokey.wav /hoʊ̯ki poʊ̯ki/

Word forms

hokey pokey hokey pokeys hokey-pokey hokeypokey

Etymology

Unknown, compare the earlier-attested names for similar group circle dances from which the modern dance seems to have evolved, hinkumbooby from the 19th century and hankin booby from the 16th.

Synonyms

honeycomb toffee honeycomb cinder toffee sponge toffee seafoam candy Hokey Cokey hokey tokey

Related words

hokey
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