What does "charleston" mean?
A dance named for the city of Charleston, South Carolina.
Charleston
/ˈtʃɑɹlstən/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A dance named for the city of Charleston, South Carolina.
- Grammar: charleston is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: 1920s dance, city, dance, dance form.
- Useful contrasts: countryside, immobility, inactivity.
- Usage evidence: It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
How to use "charleston"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "charleston" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "charleston" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "charleston" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "charleston" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A dance named for the city of Charleston, South Carolina.
"Dubbed “the Black Venus”, she danced the charleston in nothing but a string of pearls and a skirt made of 16 rubber bananas, performed with a snake wrapped suggestively round her neck, strolled down the Champs-Élysées with her pet cheetah, and became an international superstar. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/28/dancer-singer-spy-frances-pantheon-to-honour-josephine-baker"
- 2 an American ballroom dance in syncopated rhythm; popular early in the 20th century wordnet
Verb
- 1 To dance the Charleston. intransitive
"The Cambridge professor was charlestoning madly with a well-built woman in a backless evening dress; there were dark patches under his arms where the sweat had soaked through his suit."
- 2 dance the Charleston wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Arkansas, and one of the two county seats of Franklin County.
- 2 A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Coles County, Illinois; after Charles Morton, its first postmaster.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Maine; after Charles Vaughan, an early settler.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Mississippi, and one of the two county seats of Tallahatchie County.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Mississippi County, Missouri; after either nearby Charles Prairie or the city in South Carolina.
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; A town in New York; after Charles Van Epps, an early settler.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; A neighborhood of Staten Island, New York; after Charles Kreischer, son of Balthasar Kreischer, after whom the town was previously named (as Kreischerville).
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Charleston County, South Carolina; after Charles II of England.
"Dans told CNN he will formally launch his campaign with a prayer breakfast Wednesday in Charleston."
- 9 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Tennessee.
- 10 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Utah; after Charles Shelton, an early settler.
- 11 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Vermont; after a naval battle near the city in South Carolina; the town's early settlers were naval officers.
- 12 A number of places in the United States:; The capital city of West Virginia, United States and the county seat of Kanawha County; perhaps after Charles Clendenin, the father of an early settler.
- 13 A community in Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 14 A village in Angus council area, Scotland; after Charles Henderson, proprietor of the village's land before its formation (OS grid ref NO3845).
- 15 A suburb of Dundee, City of Dundee council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NO3532).
- 16 A town in South Australia.
- 17 A coastal village south of Westport, West Coast, New Zealand.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "charleston"?
Common synonyms include: 1920s dance, city, dance, dance form, hustle, jig.
How do you use "charleston" in a sentence?
It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
How do you pronounce "charleston"?
Pronounced /ˈtʃɑɹlstən/.
Etymology
From Charles + -ton. The places are named after various men named "Charles"; see definitions below.