English Explanatory Dictionary

tarantism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An extreme urge to dance, popularly thought to have been caused by the bite of a tarantula (Lycosa tarantula) and prevalent in southern Italy in the 15th through 17th centuries.

Pronunciation

/ˈtæɹəntɪzm/ /ˈtæɹənˌtɪzm/

Word forms

tarantism tarantisms tarentism

Etymology

From New Latin tarantismus + English -ism (suffix forming nouns of action, process, or result), from Old Italian Taranto (“seaport in southern Italy”) + Latin -ismus (“-ism”); see further at tarantula. The English word is cognate with French tarentisme, Italian tarantismo.

Synonyms

choreomania dancing mania
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