Phrase guide

dance card

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɑːns kɑːd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈdæns ˌkɑɹd/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An appointment schedule.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • My dance card is full this week. What about meeting next week?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A list of items.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A card on which a person (usually a woman) lists those with whom they have agreed to dance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

Topics: dance, dancing, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

Examples

  • How could your dance card be full already, Martha? You just got here.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From dance + card (“flat, normally rectangular piece of stiff paper, etc.; list of scheduled events, etc.”).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: պարային քարտ (parayin kʻart) — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Catalan: carnet de ball — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Dutch: balboekje — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • French: carnet de bal — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • German: Tanzkarte — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • German: Ballspende — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • German: Damenspende — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Japanese: ダンスカード — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Polish: karnet — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Russian: ба́льная кни́жка (bálʹnaja knížka) — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Russian: ка́рне (kárne) — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Spanish: carné de baile — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Ukrainian: ба́льна кни́жка (bálʹna knýžka) — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • Ukrainian: ка́рне (kárne) — card on which a woman listed those she had agreed to dance with
  • French: carnet de bal — appointment schedule
  • Polish: karnet — appointment schedule