csardas

• csárdás, czardas

From Hungarian csárdás, adjectival form of csárda (“tavern”), from Ottoman Turkish چارطاق‎ (çardak, “arbour, summerhouse”), from Persian چارتاق‎ (čârtâq, “four-arch”), from چار‎ (čâr, “four”) +‎ طاق‎ (tâq, “arch”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃɑːdæʃ/, /ˈzɑːdəs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃɑɹdɑʃ/

csardas (plural csardases)

1. An intricate Hungarian folk dance characterized by variations in tempo. The two main parts are called lassú (slow) and friss (quick).
   • 1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 229:

     `When you danced the czardas with Admiral Horthy?'

2. The music for such a dance.