English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English prancen, prauncen (“to prance”, literally “to show off”), variant of Middle English pranken (“to prank”), thus probably from the same ultimate root as prank. Cognate with Bavarian prangezen, prangssen (“to put on airs”), Alemannic German pranzen (“to strut”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (US) IPA^(key): /pɹæn(t)s/
• Rhymes: -æns

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹɑːn(t)s/
• Rhymes: -ɑːns

Verb[edit]

prance (third-person singular simple present prances, present participle prancing, simple past and past participle pranced)

1. (of a horse) To spring forward on the hind legs.
2. (colloquial, figuratively) To strut about in a showy manner.

   John's daughter was prancing about the sitting room, practicing for her school dance.

Derived terms[edit]

• prancesome
• prancy

Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

prance (plural prances)

1. A prancing movement.
   • 1915, D. H. Lawrence, The Rainbow:

     There seemed a little prance of triumph in his movement,

Anagrams[edit]

• parcen