Definition
Plural of cotillion; 18th-century European ballroom dances or the musical compositions written for them.
Etymology
From French 'cotillon,' possibly from 'côte' (side) or diminutive forms, becoming an elaborate quadrille-style dance and its accompanying music.
Kelly Says
Cotillions represented democratic dancing—unlike rigid court minuets, they involved switching partners and complex figures, letting 18th-century commoners experience ballroom egalitarianism.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ኮቲሊዮን
ko-tee-lee-yon
ARالعربية
كوتيليون
ko-tee-lee-yun
BNবাংলা
কোটিলিয়ন
ko-tee-lee-yon
CACatalà
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
CSČeština
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
DADansk
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
DEDeutsch
Cotillions
koh-ti-lyohn
ELΕλληνικά
κοτιλιόν
koh-tee-yon
ESEspañol
cotillioness
koh-tee-lee-ones
FAفارسی
کوتیلون
koo-tee-lo-n
FISuomi
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
FRFrançais
cotillons
koh-tee-yohn
GUGU
કોટિલિયન
ko-tee-lee-yan
HAHA
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
HEעברית
קוטילון
ko-tee-yon
HIहिन्दी
कोटिलियन
koh-tee-lee-yan
HUMagyar
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
IDBahasa Indonesia
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
IGIG
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
ITItaliano
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
KMKM
កូទីលីអន
koo-tee-lee-an
MRMR
कोटिलियन
ko-tee-lee-yan
MSBahasa Melayu
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
MYမြန်မာ
ကောတီလယံ
ka-tee-lee-yan
NLNederlands
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
NONorsk
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
PAPA
ਕੋਟਿਲੀਅਨ
ko-tee-lee-yan
PLPolski
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
PTPortuguês
cotilhões
koh-tee-lyu-es
RORomână
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
RUРусский
котильон
ko-ti-lyon
SVSvenska
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
SWKiswahili
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
TAதமிழ்
கோட்டில்லியன்
ko-tti-li-yan
TEతెలుగు
కోటిలియన్
ko-tee-lee-yan
THไทย
โคติลลอน
koh-tee-lon
TLTL
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
TRTürkçe
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
UKУкраїнська
котильйон
ko-ti-lyon
URاردو
کوٹیلین
ko-tee-lee-yan
VITiếng Việt
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
YOYO
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
ZUZU
cotillon
koh-tee-yon
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Cotillion was a 18th-century ballroom dance with gendered choreography and etiquette rules that strictly regulated female and male roles. The formal structure encoded expectations about women's passivity and men's leadership in social performance.
Inclusive Usage
Use neutrally when describing the historical dance or modern variations. Consider noting the historical gender rigidity when teaching or performing.
Inclusive Alternatives
["ballroom dance","quadrille","group dance"]
Empowerment Note
Women choreographers and dance teachers modernized cotillions in the 20th century, removing gender-prescriptive elements and creating versions valuing all participants equally.