noun / verb

jive

JYVE/dʒaɪv/

A lively dance in swing rhythm.

The couple dances a lively jive to the band's music.

An older adult dance pair performs an energetic partnered jive: springy bent knees, a low flick-kick, and an open one-hand connection, with a saxophonist providing a compact live-swing cue.

Etymology

jiveEnglishplayful or deceptive slang talk

Jive's talk and swing-music uses developed together in African-American English. Its deeper origin is uncertain; no particular African root is established here.

In context

Women Unscripted Podcast Network46:10

But then in my early 30s, I started dancing like doing jive and swing and Lindy more jive.

Face to Face with Beauty: An Intimate Conversation with Make-Up Artist Patsy O’Neil

More examples

We learn the basic steps of the jive in class.
They jive together whenever a swing band plays.
The band plays jive while couples fill the dance floor.

Forms

jive · jives · jived · jiving

Similar words

swing: Swing covers a broader family of dances, including jive.
jitterbug: Jitterbug usually refers to energetic, improvised American swing dancing.