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ragtime definition

☆ rag·time (rag′tīm′)

noun

  1. a type of American music, mostly composed but sometimes improvised, popular from about 1890 to 1920 and characterized by strong syncopation in even time: it was influential in the development of jazz
  2. its syncopated rhythm

Etymology: prob. < ragged time, in reference to syncopation

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ragtime Synonyms

ragtime

n.

jazz, swing, Dixieland; see jazz, music 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ragtime Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • play: The piano plays ragtime in another room, switches to a lullaby, shushing all the bad dreams back into the cotton sweet closet.

Adjective modifier

  • contemporary: The music will be contemporary, ragtime and jazz style with a skiffle / street band sound.

Modifies a noun

  • music: Blues Connection got the sunny afternoon off to a great start with their laid back country blues and ragtime music.
ragtime usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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MLA Style

"ragtime." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/ragtime>

APA Style

ragtime. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/ragtime

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