pol·o·naise / ˌpäləˈnāz; ˌpō-/ • n. 1. a slow dance of Polish origin in triple time, consisting chiefly of an intricate march or procession. ∎  a piece of music for this dance or in its rhythm.2. hist. a woman's dress with a tight bodice and a skirt open from the waist downward, looped up to show a decorative underskirt.• adj. (of a dish, esp. a vegetable dish) garnished with chopped hard-boiled egg yolk, breadcrumbs, and parsley.

polonaise (Fr.), Polonäse (Ger.), polacca (It.). A nat. Polish dance, in simple triple time and of moderate speed; it should, perhaps, more properly be described as a stately ceremonial procession rather than a dance, and probably originated among the aristocracy in 16th cent. Certain rhythms are characteristic, such as the frequent division of the first beat of the measure with accentuation of its 2nd half, the ending of phrases on the 3rd beat of the measure, etc. Many composers, incl. Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, have written polonaises; Chopin's 13 examples, in which he found an outlet for his patriotic feeling, are outstanding.

polonaise female dress orig. suggested by that of Polish women; slow dance of Polish origin. XVIII. — F., sb. use of fem. of polonais Polish.